


New Beginnings

by cassidyrosececilia



Category: Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), Tangled (2010), tangled - Fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M, Mentions of alcohol, Multi, OT3, Post-Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure (Cartoon), some light crude language, that's about it. mostly fluff and character building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 00:34:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 47,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22984864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cassidyrosececilia/pseuds/cassidyrosececilia
Summary: Set 5 years after the finale, Cass makes her way back to Corona and into Rapunzel's heart.
Relationships: Cassandra/Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel, Cassandra/Rapunzel (Disney: Tangled), Eugene Fitzherbert | Flynn Rider/Rapunzel
Comments: 102
Kudos: 336





	1. Josephine

**Author's Note:**

> hello everybody! i hope you enjoy. i apologize if the formatting is off, i write on mobile. please consider following my tumblr, cassandra-tangled! thank yall for reading

It had been 5 years since Cassandra left Corona, and she hadn't been back since. 

Life on the road had treated her well enough, so far. She moved around quite often--the longest she had ever stayed in one place was a month and a half. Mostly, she stayed in small, run down inns, or with a random family willing to give a traveling young woman shelter. She found whatever side jobs she could to support herself and Fidella. By no means was it a glamorous living, but it was an honest one.

On more than one occasion, she'd found steady work in a small town or village--sometimes as a bartender, other times an inn maid, or a server, or a farmhand. But no matter where she was and how much she enjoyed her work, she always became restless. She always disappeared. 

In some ways, Cass enjoyed the anonymity of life on the road. No-one could put a name to her face, and when they could, it was a fake one. This anonymity was so unlike Corona--before she had taken the moonstone everybody knew her as Rapunzel's lady-in-waiting, and after, as the traitor and treasonous woman who had turned her back on the kingdom. Although being unknown to everyone provided her with a sense of security, she also felt overwhelmingly lonely. The closest she ever had to company was the occasional lover she took in secret. As a woman seeking other women, though, she had to be careful with that sort of thing. 

And besides, no woman in the whole of the seven kingdoms could ever, ever compare to Rapunzel. 

Most times when she wasn't working or sleeping, she could be found in the pub closest to her current boarding arrangement. Presently, she was sat atop a wobbly wooden stool at an empty bar, in a tucked-away pub in the heart of Vardaros. The city had admittedly shaped up quite a bit since she had passed through with Rapunzel and Eugene. The energy wasn't nearly as dark and foreboding, and some of the people were actually quite friendly. 

Suddenly, her mind filled with images of Rapunzel. No matter how hard she tried, this always happened. Five years, and she couldn't get those damned eyes, those loving arms, out of her head.

She clenched her knuckles tightly around her mug of ale, raising the thick glass rim up to her mouth and taking in as much as she could swallow. She set the mug down with a light thump, and let out a breathy sigh as she slumped foward and leaned on her hand. 

A smooth, deep voice piped up from behind the bar. "Troubles in that pretty little head of yours, darling?" Cassandra reached warily towards her sheath, before looking up to see who had addressed her. She locked eyes with a tall, beautiful woman. Her eyes were the color of rich honey, and wavy ginger hair fell down to the nape of her back. Cassandra pulled her hand away from the handle of her knife. 

"Yeah, I guess so." She paused, looking down and taking another sip of her frothy ale. "What's it to you?"

"Oh, nothing, really. I just always like to offer an ear to a weary traveler in need." There was an awkward silence for a beat, and Cass wrapped her knuckles tighter about her mug. "That is what you are, yes? A traveler? I haven't seen you around before, and I know almost everyone around this town."

"Yeah," Cassandra huffed, "I'm a traveler."

"Well, you don't seem too happy about it," said the woman, flashing a bright smile. "You can call me Josephine. I'm the bartender here. You'd probably know that, if you had looked at me when you ordered your drink."

"Right." Cassandra extended her hand. "Josephine. I'm Alex." 

"Well, pleasure to meet you, Alex." Josephine grabbed Cass' hand, and shook it firmly. "So, can I ask you then, Alex...what's on your mind?"

"Oh." Cass instinctively drew her arms in close to her body. "I don't know. Just life, I guess."

"Hmmmm," Josephine smirked. "It seems to me that there's much on your mind. I think you're missing someone. Perhaps a special someone?"

"No," Cass grumbled. "I've never had anyone like that to miss."

"Tsk. That's a shame," Josephine giggled, "especially for a young woman as pretty as you."

Cass cracked a smile. "I'm hardly young, anymore. 29 years, I've been on this planet." 

"Oh, please," Josephine laughed, "talk to me when you hit 35. Then you have some room to talk. I turned 35 a week ago, and I feel like an old woman." 

"Well, you don't look like one, that's for sure. I would have placed bets on 25," Cass shrugged. 

"Why, thank you, Alex."

"Of course."

The room fell silent for a moment. Cass breathed in a deep breath. 

"You know, I'm not really the type to talk about my emotions. Especially to strangers," Cass said. "But it's unlikely I'll see you ever again after tonight, so maybe I could make an exception."

"Well, that's fair," Josephine smiled. "I'm all ears."

"You were just able to read me, a moment ago."

"I get that a lot," Josephine said. "So then you are missing a special someone?" 

"Yeah, well, not exactly. She--I mean, he--was special to me, but I wasn't special to him. At least, not in that way."

"You know, you don't have to lie," Josephine laughed. "It's just me and you in here, and I can, well, read people. Remember? I don't judge."

"Right." Cass acknowledged. "That's rare."

"Well, what can I say? I can't judge you for something I partake in myself."

"I suppose that's true."

"Yes. Now, tell me more about this girl."

"Right," Cass sighed. "I don't know. This isn't like me to tell my business to someone I don't know, but..."

"You're a traveler, Alex. Who else do you have to tell your business to? Now. Get on with it."

"Okay, okay," Cass relented. "Well, I don't know. She's the most beautiful woman in the world. From the moment I set eyes on her, I knew she was meant to be mine. But--"

"But?"

"But," Cass continued, "there was a man."

"Ahhhh. As there always is."

"Yeah. And it was more than that, too. Put simply, I felt inferior to her for years--and on top of that, I was madly in love with her. So, I guess I...I lashed out."

"Well, that sounds justified."

"No." Cass hardened. "It wasn't."

"Well, I suppose you'd know better than I." Josephine paused. "So, is that all you're going to give me to go off of?"

"Yes."

"Right." She poured more ale into Cass' glass. "On me. So, can I ask you a question or two?"

"I suppose."

"Is she still mad at you?"

"No. I don't think so. We made up before I left home."

"And you've been gone for...?"

"Five years."

"Five. Wow. Why did you leave?"

"I couldn't stay there."

"Okay," Josephine laughed, "vague. But, you left on good terms?"

"Well, yes. Good enough."

"Have you been back to visit her?" 

"No." Cass' eyes softened, filled with a sudden sadness. "I couldn't."

"And why is that?"

"I couldn't." Cass grumbled. "I'm going to leave it at that."

"Okay," Josephine took a breath. "Well then, this is what I'm going to say. If you love her, if your heart is calling for her, go find her. She may love you more than you know." 

"I don't know," Cass said.

"Of course you don't. You won't know until you find her, and when you do, your heart will know the truth." 

"If you say so." Cass pulled out her changepurse, and slid 3 coins across the counter--one for her ale, and two for Josephine. "Thank you. It was nice to meet you, Josephine." She turned around, and began to head towards the door.

"Goodbye," called the voice from behind the bar. "I'll see you around, stranger." 

"No," Cass said. "You won't. But, thank you."

Cass stepped out of the pub without another word. The door slammed shut behind her.


	2. A Restless Night

Try as she might, Cassandra could not find any sleep. 

She tossed and turned, flipped about, and bashed her head into her mattress quite a few times, and still, nothing. The inn she was staying in was not the best or most comfortable, but that was something Cassandra was used to. She'd slept on the hard ground, made beds out of hay and wood before, and slept like a baby--and this bed was certainly better than that. Frustrated, she sat up and lit the candle by her bedside.

As much as she didn't want to admit it to herself, she knew that what Josephine said had stuck with her. Perhaps she should go back to Corona, at least to visit, but then again, what did Josephine know? She certainly wasn't aware of all of the nuances of Cass' past--she had no way of knowing what Cass had truly done. And that was exactly what Cass liked about being on the road. She was alone. No one knew who she was, or all of the horrible things she'd done.

The idea of going back to Corona was daunting. It was her home, of course. All of her friends and family and the people she loved were back there, perhaps even missing her as she missed them. But how could she? How could she dare to show her face in the place that she destroyed? 

Josephine had no idea just how hard going home could, and would, be. Rapunzel and Eugene, Varian, Lance, her father, perhaps even the king and queen and the guards she knew well--she knew those people might have forgiven her. But the average citizen of Corona, whose home or livelihood she had destroyed during her rampages...how could they? How could she dare to go back there?

Cassandra didn't know the answer. But she knew the yearning in her heart was all for Rapunzel. 

Five years ago, she had just stepped out of the darkest time in her life. Five years ago, she was saved by those bright green eyes and Rapunzel's abundant love. She had gone out on the road to find her calling, and she hadn't exactly achieved that. She loved wandering the world, she loved her solo adventures traversing the far corners of the world. As far as she was concerned, she could traverse the globe forever, meeting new people and trying new things. Yet still, she had no idea what her calling was or where she was meant to be. Five long years she'd wandered around, and yet for no place and no other person did her heart call out as it did for Rapunzel. 

Although it had been years, Cassandra did not forgive herself for what she'd done. She couldn't. She would never be able to, even if every Coronan gave her their forgiveness. She had allowed herself to fall victim to the darkest parts of herself, and when she found out most everything that pushed her to that dark place was a lie, she still didn't call it quits. She listened to no one, no one, when they tried to help her. Rapunzel, Eugene, Varian...they'd all called out for her, but instead of listening, she hurt them. She didn't listen. Not until she was stripped of her power, stripped of her infamy, and talked down from her madness by Rapunzel. 

Would it be greedy to show her face there, after all that had happened? Even if she eventually helped to save Corona, for the most part, she was the one who had destroyed it. 

Perhaps it was greedy. Perhaps it was selfish, to leave them after all that she had done and waltz back into the kingdom 5 years later. 

But, Rapunzel. 

Rapunzel.

Every night that she closed her eyes, she saw that beautiful face. She heard her contagious laughter. Every night without fail, she felt Rapunzel's warm embrace and heard her say, "I love you, too, Cass." She would give anything, anything, to hear those words another time. Even if Rapunzel never had and never will mean it in the same way that she does. 

Cassandra pulled herself momentarily from her thoughts, and reached into the small satchel that held nearly all of her belongings. A brush, a nearly empty bottle of sweet perfume, two changes of clothing, her coinpurse, her two daggers, and at the very bottom, a neatly folded painting. 

She reached in and pulled the painting out.

Gingerly, she unfolded it. It was the one Rapunzel had painted long ago, depicting her, Rapunzel and Eugene. Upon Rapunzel giving her the painting, Cass had torn off half of Eugene's face, so that the painting was mainly just the two of them. She brushed a finger over Rapunzel's painted face.

Tears began to form in her eyes. 

"I'm so sorry," she cried to nobody but herself, "I'm so, so sorry." She clutched the painting to her chest. "I love you, Raps. I love you so much. I always have, and I think I always will. But you're--you're his." 

"I just couldn't take it, Raps," she sobbed. "I just couldn't take it. I didn't know what to do. I love you, but I always felt as if I were in your shadow. And Eugene, even though I love him dearly, he only made it worse for me. For a reason I could never, ever explain to you." 

"I shouldn't have done what I did. Even though Zhan Tiri manipulated the facts, I ultimately made the choice to do everything I did. No one made me. That was on me. And somehow, you still saw the light in me. Even after all of that."

"I miss you, Raps. I miss you so much. I don't care if it's selfish, I don't care. I need to see you. I need to hear your voice. I need to hug you. At least one more time before I say goodbye to Corona for good."

She wiped her eyes, folded the painting up, and placed it back in her satchel. After taking a moment to collect herself and her emotions, she knew what she had to do. She blew out her candle and laid her head down to rest. 

She closed her eyes, this time, with a newfound determination to sleep. Cassandra had made her decision. 

Tomorrow at dawn, she'd leave for Corona.


	3. Sunshine

The journey to Corona took Cass a little under a week. She and Fidella trekked for hours a day, only stopping to rest, eat and sleep when they truly needed it. Cass hated to work Fidella as much as she did, but she was sure she knew where they were headed. 

Now, the castle was on the horizon. Her heart began racing as soon as it came into sight. She had made it. After five long years, she would soon be home. 

A strange mix of excitement, anticipation, anxiety and dread filled her stomach. Her insides were doing backflips, and it felt as if a thousand little critters were crawling around inside her. She felt as if she might be sick--whether in a good way or a bad way, she wasn't sure. She was beginning to doubt herself and her decision to return home. How did she know Corona wanted her to return? How did she know even Rapunzel would want to see her? Honestly, she didn't. She wasn't sure how the kingdom would take to her arrival. But she was almost there, and Fidella seemed to be getting more and more hyper and excited with every step. 

"That's right, girl," she cooed, patting Fidella's neck, "we're home! Soon you'll get to see Max, Rapunzel, Eugene, and everyone else." 

She took in a deep breath, trying to get a handle on her emotions, which seemed to be going more and more haywire by the minute. 

"They're all going to be so excited to see you, Fidella. Especially Max." She paused, drawing in a shaky breath. "I just hope they feel the same for me."

Fidella neighed and turned her head back slightly, as if to reassure Cass that they would. 

A million thought began to race through Cassandra's head all at once. She began internally panicking as she remembered all of the horrible things she had done. Cass began to feel as if she had made a fatal mistake. How did she dare to return to Corona? Of course, she had left on good terms with Rapunzel, and it wasn't as if she had been banished, but she still felt selfish. After all that she had done to hurt the kingdom, she was going to waltz right back in and make herself at home in the castle again--at least for a couple of days. 

Well, Cassandra told herself, there was no turning back now.

Before she knew it, Cass was crossing the bridge onto the island. She had her hood up to avoid being seen by anyone who might still despise her, but as soon as she entered into the mainland of kingdom, a weight was lifted off her shoulder. 

She passed Monty's Sweet Shoppe and Atilla the Bun, Feldspar's shoe store and Xavier's forge. Within minutes, Cassandra had neared the castle's gates. She took one last deep breath, doing her best to keep her head straight. Once she was ready, she urged Fidella towards the gate. 

Cassandra looked at the two guards on post near the archway--she didn't recognize them, so perhaps they wouldn't recognize her, although they probably would.

"Hello, gentlemen," she said as she reached the gate. She watched with some amusement, some horror, as the guards scanned her face and recognized, with shock, who she was. "Please tell Captain Fitzherbert that I am here, and I wish to see Princess Rapunzel." 

*********************

"Well, well, well," Eugene exclaimed, "if it isn't Corona's favorite dragon lady, and Fidella, too! You look good, old friends--I mean, not as good as me, obviously, but good nonetheless."

Cassandra let out a chuckle, and began to dismount Fidella. "Well you haven't changed one bit, Fitzherbert."

"Neither have you, I'm willing to bet." Eugene wrapped her in a bear hug. A few years ago, the idea of Eugene hugging her would have made Cass want to hurl, but after five years away, she appreciated it. 

"Welcome home, Cass. Let's go inside." 

*********************

Within moments, Cassandra was standing at Rapunzel's door. If her stomach was doing somersaults before, it was absolutely churning now. In a few short moments, she'd be reunited with Rapunzel. She'd be reunited with the love of her life. 

"Are you ready?" Eugene asked, glancing over at Cass with one hand on the door. "This is going to be big for her. She's missed you, Cassandra."

"She has?"

"I mean, I couldn't tell you why, but yeah," Eugene grinned. 

"Can it, Fitzherbet," Cass laughed. "Come on, let's get on with it."

Eugene opened the door and stepped inside the room. Cass stood outside in the hallway. Her heart was in her throat, and her hands were shaking and sweating. 

"Sunshine, have I got a surprise for you!" Eugene exclaimed. 

"Oh, good! I have a surprise for you, too!" Rapunzel replied. 

Cass could hardly believe her ears. Her knees felt as if they were going to give way beneath her. It was Rapunzel. She had made it. She was home. 

"My surprise first, sunshine. I promise you're gonna love it. But you gotta close your eyes."

"This better be good, babe."

"Oh, it will be." Eugene turned around and motioned Cass into the room, before putting his finger up to his lips to indicate she be quiet. 

Cass gingerly stepped in the room. 

As soon as she saw Rapunzel, all of her cares seemed to melt away. She looked slightly older and more mature, but was still radiantly beautiful. If anything, she had only gotten more beautiful, which Cass didn't even know was possible. 

"Well, Eugene?" Rapunzel piped. "What is it?"

"Uhhh, one second, sunshine." Eugene ran up behind Cass and pushed her forward. Breathlessly, Cass took another couple of steps towards the bed where Rapunzel was sitting, until she was only feet away from her. 

"Okay," Eugene said, "open your eyes."

Rapunzel's bright green eyes fluttered open. It took her a minute to process who was standing in front of her, and Cass watched her face turn from confusion, to shock, to excitement within seconds. 

"Cass!" Rapunzel exclaimed, leaping up from the bed and enveloping Cassandra in a hug. "You're home!" 

Cassandra held on to Rapunzel as tight as she could, fighting back tears as she did. Finally, after five long years, Rapunzel was in her arms again. Cass was so focused on Rapunzel's presence, it took her a minute to realize that Rapunzel had started crying herself. 

"Raps," Cass gasped, "why are you crying? Are you okay?"

"I was just," Rapunzel sniffled, "I was just so worried about you, Cass. We hadn't heard from you or seen you in--in five years! Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God." Rapunzel buried her head further into Cass' shoulder.

"Rapunzel, I'm sorry," she sighed. "I should have written."

Rapunzel pulled back from the hug and dried her eyes.

"You really should have," she laughed. "But it's okay. Don't worry about it. You're here now, you're home, Cass. We've missed you so much. Oh, we have to tell everybody you're home! But first, we've got quite the bit of catching up to do." 

"Sunshine?" Eugene poked, a devilish grin on his face. "I don't mean to interrupt this tender moment, but could I have my surprise?"


	4. Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long for me to get this up--part 5 coming soon!

After giving Eugene her surprise--which was, unsurprisingly, a painting--Rapunzel asked him gently to leave the room.

"Please, Raps," Cass jested, "if you want him to leave, you say, 'BEAT IT, FITZHERBERT!'"

"Touché," said Eugene. "I'll give you two some privacy." 

He made his way towards the door, before turning around to face the two women sitting on the bed one last time.

"We really did miss you, Cass." 

He shut the door behind him.

"Well, Cass," Rapunzel giggled, "you really haven't changed one bit."

"Yeah," Cass sighed, "I suppose not."

"Well, why the glum face?" Rapunzel inquired. "You're home, Cass."

"I know," she said, "and I'm happy to be home, Raps. It's just...I don't know."

"Well, catch me up on life on the road. You know I love Corona, but I miss it out there."

Cass laughed. "Honestly, it wasn't as good as traveling with you. Don't get me wrong, I love it out there, but it's not nearly as exciting as it was fighting monsters and journeying towards some...unknown destiny."

"Well, isn't that what you were doing?" Rapunzel asked. "Finding your destiny?"

"It's what I was trying to do, Raps," Cassandra corrected, "but not exactly what I accomplished. Unless town-hopping, job-hopping, and staying in shitty inns is my destiny. I guess destiny just isn't always as clear cut as we'd hope it to be."

"Well," Rapunzel smiled, "we're still young. You have time. And you know you're always welcome here."

"Thank you, Raps. It means a lot." Cassandra paused. "Although, I don't exactly feel young anymore." 

"Me either, honestly," Rapunzel laughed, "but we are. I think it's easy to feel old when you had such wild adventures when you were young. That's impossible to convince Eugene of, though. He's been having a midlife crisis since he turned 30, and that was a year ago now."

"Oh god, I can only imagine," Cass chuckled. 

"Mmhmm," Rapunzel smirked. "He's still handsome as always, but I don't think he sees it anymore, honestly." Her eyes softened. "He's still the same old Eugene, of course, but I just think he looks at himself differently now."

Cass nodded. "I think that happens with age. I mean, I was never as...self-obsessed as Eugene, but I swear I have a new crease somewhere every time I look in the mirror." She laughed, glancing up at Rapunzel. "Look at us, Raps, talking like we're ancient."

"Yeah," Rapunzel huffed, "not yet."

The room fell silent for a moment, and Cassandra became acutely aware of a deep sadness behind Rapunzel's beautiful emerald eyes. She stared for a moment as Rapunzel took a deep breath in and fiddled with her hands.

"Cass?" she murmured eventually, looking up to meet Cassandra's eyes. "I can't lie, Cass. It's been so hard. It's like...it's like I should be happy, and I was for a while, but still, everything just feels wrong. And with you gone, a piece of me was missing. I mean, I've fulfilled my destiny, haven't I? Why doesn't it feel like I have?" 

"I don't know, Raps," Cass admitted. "Just remember, no matter what you do or where you go, there will always be more waiting for you. Plus est en vous, Rapunzel. The challenge is figuring out what that something is, I suppose."

"Yeah." Rapunzel let out a deep sigh and looked down at her hands. "You know, as the female heir to the throne, it's sort of expected of me to have children. At least one. And of course I love children, and I'm sure Eugene would take kindly to a child of ours, but it's scary. I mean, what if I get sick like my mother and there's no sundrop to save me?" 

Cass paused. "Maybe you could adopt an orphan?" 

"I don't know, Cass," sighed Rapunzel. "I'd love to give orphans a home in the castle, but I've spoken to my dad about it, and they're pretty serious about that whole bloodline thing when you're royalty--it's not exactly written, but heavily implied, that each king or queen should have one blood heir. And since I don't have any blood siblings, that means my child. But I don't want to die, Cass, I don't want to die. And if I get sick like my mother, my child will die, too." She paused. "Nobody wants me to fall pregnant, even my parents, who would usually be pretty excited for a grandbaby. I mean, I lived majority of my life with magical hair that could protect me from death in most scenarios."

Rapunzel gestured to her short cropped, dark brown hair. Cassandra loved her short hair--it was a symbol of her freedom, and she wore it well. 

"Now, no more magic hair." She sighed. "It was such a big relief at first. I mean, my hair was always the 'big thing' about me, and it was nice to get rid of that...twice. But now I have nothing to protect me against death. I grew up with protection from death the first 18 years of my life, so I guess it's just a big adjustment." 

Cass sighed. "I'm so sorry, Raps. I can only imagine how stressful that must be."

Rapunzel shrugged. "I've been struggling, Cass, but I have to stay strong. The people of Corona are counting on me to be the bright, bubbly princess I always am, so..." 

Without thinking, Cassandra grabbed Rapunzel's hand. "Raps, look at me," she said. Rapunzel obliged, her bright green eyes flitting up to meet Cassandra's. "You are stronger than you think, Rapunzel." She ran one finger back and forth across Rapunzel's hand. "If...if you can defeat Zhan Tiri and bring me back from the depths, Rapunzel, you can do anything."

"Thank you, Cass," Rapunzel smiled. "And, Cass, I didn't bring you back from anything. You did that yourself--because the light was in your heart all along. I just gave you the tools and the confidence to do so."

Cassandra drew back her hand. "It doesn't feel like that to me, Rapunzel. But thank you." 

"Of course, Cass," said Rapunzel. "It was nice to be able to get all of that off my chest. I missed this, Cass."

"I missed this too, Raps," Cass smiled. 

"Now," Rapunzel said, "as much as I'd love to sit here and talk with you for the next 6 hours, I think there are a few more people who should know you're here." A grin spread slowly across her face, a grin that Cass recognized all too well as Rapunzel having some sort of crazy idea. 

"Oh, boy," Cass sighed, "what are you plotting, Raps?" 

"Oh, nothing," Rapunzel exclaimed innocently. Cassandra saw through her facade.

"Raps...oh God, please don't plan a banquent," Cass groaned. 

"Well, I wouldn't call it a banquet," Rapunzel shrugged, "more like a...dinner between friends? Come on Cass, you're home! There are people who are gonna want to see you, everyone's missed you so much, all the kids have grown, and it's only noon so we still have time--"

"Fine," Cass interrupted with a sigh, "plan it."

"Yay!" Rapunzel wrapped Cass in a brief hug. "I can't wait, Cass, I'm so happy you're back."

Cass felt a smile growing on her face. "Actually, it might be fun. I've missed everyone, so..."

Rapunzel grinned. "It's gonna be great! In the meantime, maybe you can go visit your dad. Have you seen him?"

"Uh, no," replied Cass. "Not yet." 

"Well, he lives in a little house not far from the castle now. Here, let me draw you a map." Rapunzel reached for one of her journals, ripped out a page, and scribbled a rough map on the paper. "You should be able to find it easily. Dinner will be at 6, make sure you invite him."

"Okay," Cass reached out for the paper. "I will." She paused. "Raps, are your parents coming to dinner?"

"Of course," Rapunzel smiled. "What did you think, I wasn't gonna invite them?"

"No," Cass admitted, "but if I were them, I wouldn't be too happy that the woman who, you know, destroyed my kingdom is back."

"Well, my dad can be a bit of a tough cookie to crack," Rapunzel acknowledged, "but he watched you grow up, Cass, and at the end of the day, you did sacrifice your life for Corona. And as for my mom, well...I've never told you this, but right before the big battle against Zhan Tiri in Corona, she was the one who convinced me that I could get through to you. She believed in you all along, Cass, we all did."

"Really?" Cass felt tears welling up in her eyes, but she blinked them away before Rapunzel could see. "Wow, I...Rapunzel, I'm sorry."

"Cass," Rapunzel smiled, "that's ancient history. You've been gone for so long, and Corona missed you."

"It's not ancient," Cass responded. "Not yet."

"Well," Rapunzel shrugged, "either way, I promise that won't be on the forefront of everyone's mind when they see you. Remember, before everything went down, we all got to know the true Cass. The true Cass is the grumpy yet lovable, Corona-defending warrior you were before and are now. That's what will be on the forefront of everyone's minds, Cass."

"If you say so, Raps," Cass sighed, "but I'm not so sure."

"Well, you'll see," Rapunzel beamed. "Now. Why don't you go visit your old man? Like I said, dinner's at 6. If you come back to the castle before then, your room is the same as it always was, with...a few minor improvements." 

"Minor improvements?" Cass asked. 

"Yes--namely, a shower with hot running water, courtesy of our favorite little alchemist." 

"Woooow," Cass grinned, "he finally got that down without blowing up the whole kingdom?"

"He sure did," Rapunzel smiled, "and believe me, it's magical."

"Well then, I'll be sure to make time for a hot shower before dinner. I think you're right, though, Raps--I should go visit the old man." She stood up, and Rapunzel followed suit. "It was good to see you, Raps," Cass said, enveloping Rapunzel in another hug. 

"It was good to see you, too, Cass," chimed Rapunzel. "Remember, six o' clock!"

"Right," Cass said, pulling back from the hug and moving towards the door. She turned around to see Rapunzel's beautiful face one last time. "Six o' clock."


	5. Destiny, as According to Dad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This chapter took me sooo long to get published because I just couldn't seem to satisfy myself, and kept working and reworking it, lol. I hope it's good enough,,, please let me know what you guys think and leave a comment if you're willing! Thank you for reading <3

Cassandra stood at the door of her father's new home. Raps was right--it wasn't far from the castle at all, about five minutes on foot and perhaps two on horseback. 

The house was small, but looked homely--it was built from tan rock, with a dark oak door. On either side of the door were two small glass windows, with a red-and-blue dotted flower box hanging from each. It seemed like her father was doing well enough. 

Cass knew she should be excited to see her father, but instead of excitement, she was faced with a deep, unshakable feeling of dread. The pit in her stomach felt as if it was a million miles deep, and her clammy hands shook violently by her side. 

She was a horrible daughter. 

Just as she hadn't kept in contact with Rapunzel, she hadn't kept in contact with her dad--the residual guilt from five years ago was simply too much for her to bear. Not a single visit, nor a single letter had she made--she knew her poor father must be worried sick about her. Cass was starting to have second thoughts about about her return to Corona. Of course, she missed everyone. Of course, she loved Corona--it was her home. But for the past five years, her guilt had followed her endlessly, a shadowy giant looming over her every move and thought. How could she dare to return here?

"Oh well," Cassandra murmured to herself, "it's too late. You're home."

She took one deep breath in, stepped towards the door, and rapped lightly with two knuckles. After a couple of seconds with no response, she knocked a little louder. 

"Who is it?" called a voice from within. Pressure began to rise in Cassandra's throat--the voice, unmistakably, began to her father. "Hello?"

"Dad, it's...it's me," she responded softly.

Within seconds, the door swung open, nearly hitting her in the face. Her father stared at her with wonder, and she stared back. Though it lasted but a moment, to Cassandra, that moment felt like a lifetime. Her heart swelled with joy and remorse. The years had taken their toll on her father--his face was slightly more wrinkled than she remembered it to be, and his dark, bushy beard was streaked gray. 

"Cassandra..." he muttered, almost as if he could not bring himself to say anything else. "Come inside." 

Cass obliged, stepping into her father's new home. It looked like comfortable, happy living. To her left stood a tall grandfather clock, right before a doorway that led into what appeared to be a kitchen. Next to the clock was a dining room table for two, and against the back wall was a small fireplace. In front of the fireplace were a pair of wooden rocking chairs, and against the right wall, a small, reddish sofa. Behind the sofa was a hallway leading back to, presumably, a bedroom. 

"Nice place," Cass smiled, attempting to break the somewhat awkward silence.

"Yeah," Cap responded, "more private and spacious than my quarters in the castle, anyway..."

Cass couldn't contain her emotions any longer--she leapt forward and tackled her father in a bear hug. "Dad," she sniffled, "I missed you."

Cap placed his hand on the back of Cassandra's head. "I missed you so much, Cassandra," he said, his voice breaking. "I was so worried about you."

"I know, Dad," Cass sighed. "I'm so sorry I never wrote you, I just--"

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, dear," Cap interrupted. "You were just doing what you needed to do. It may have taken me a while to realize, but--you're an adult, Cassandra. I needed to let you find your own path at some point, as much as I didn't want to." 

Cass felt a smile creep across her face. "Thanks, Dad," she said, pulling back from the hug.

"Now," Cap smiled, "let's sit down, shall we?" He gestured towards the rocking chairs Cass had noticed by the fireplace. The pair moved towards the chairs and each took a seat.

"You know," Cap sighed, "for the first twenty-something years of my life, the only things I cared about were rising up the ranks and protecting Corona. So, when King Frederic appointed me as Captain of the Guards...in all my hubris, I assumed that I had fulfilled my destiny, that there could be nothing more to life." He paused. "Then, the universe placed you into my hands, and I realized that I had been horribly mistaken. Becoming Captain of the Guards, no matter how high an honor I cherish to this day, was not my destiny. Becoming your father was."

"You were such a happy child," he reminisced, "so loving, so caring, so...giving. And then, by the time you were ten, it became clear that you would grow up to be a hard-working, sharp-tongued, quick-witted, talented and capable Corona-grown warrior. You were still so loving, caring and giving--you always have been, and you always will be--but you showed it differently," Cap chuckled. "Maybe that was partially on me, for raising you as a member of the Guard. But, my point is...Cassandra, for the longest time, when I looked at you all I could see was that terrified toddler who cried into my arms when I saved her all those years ago. Today, though, with you gone for so long...I see a mature, capable young woman finding her own way in the world, and I am so proud of you. I'm sorry if I ever doubted what you were capable of."

"Dad," Cass smiled, "thank you. I'm older now, and so many years away have made me realize you were just trying to protect me, from...well, from everything. From my past, and how that past might affect my future. It's okay. Now--get me up to date on life in Corona. Anything new I should know about?"

"Well," started Cap, "honestly, not really. It's been so peaceful lately. I mean, for majority of my career with the Guard, we were constantly hunting for the lost princess--and once she returned, we were constantly protecting her. Although," Cap laughed, "I think we all know now, that that feisty little princess never needed us to protect her."

"Yeah," Cassandra grinned, "she is pretty self sufficient."

"That she is," Cap acknowledged. "I guess things have settled down now, for the most part. I mean, I'm retired. The King put me up in this house, and I get a weekly stipend from the castle, equivalent to my pay as Captain. The kingdom is, as much as I still dislike to admit it, the safest it's ever been under Fitzherbert's watch." 

"Well," Cass huffed, "it takes a thief to catch a thief, right?"

"Yeah," Cap chuckled. "Cassandra...you're not mad at me for appointing Eugene as Captain, are you?"

"No," Cass shook her head. "I mean, before everything, I would have been," she admitted. "But not now. I don't think the people of Corona could trust me to protect them. Besides, I guess that's just not my dream anymore."

"Well, then," Cap inquired, "what is your dream? Did you figure it out on the road?"

Cass bit her lip. She did have an idea of what her new dream was, but it was not in any way realistic, nor in any way something she could indulge to her father. 

Cassandra shook her head. "I don't know, Dad...not really. I enjoyed the freedom of being on the road, but just as much as it was freeing, it was horribly lonely. So...I came back." She paused. "Honestly, I'm still not sure what I'm meant to do with my life." 

Cap shrugged. "Sometimes destiny has a funny way of finding you when you least expect it. If you'd have asked me if I wanted to be a father before I found you, my answer would have been no. Now, fathering you has been my greatest honor and treasure. Perhaps, Cassandra, you should take a break from chasing your destiny. And--who knows? Maybe, just maybe, it'll come to you." 

"Dad, what do you do when your destiny feels...unattainable?" Cass sighed. "Like it's so close, and yet so far out of reach?"

"What is you mean, dear?" Cap inquired. "Is something specific on your mind?"

"No, nothing specific," Cass lied, her head filled with images of Rapunzel. "I guess, just...I don't know. It feels like I'm so close to something I could never have, and like I'll be stuck here in this same place all my life. Watching and waiting." 

"I have to admit I'm puzzled as to what you mean," Cap replied, "but Cassandra, no one is going to tell you when your time has come. If you're certain you want something, no matter what that something is or how impossible it feels, you go and get it. If you're absolutely certain that something is what you want, don't give up on it until your dying breath. You can achieve anything you could possibly want if you put your mind to it."

Cass glanced down at her left ring finger, where she knew Rapunzel wore her wedding band, signifying her as Eugene's, and Eugene as hers. "Maybe not anything," she quipped, "but thank you, Dad. I'll hold those words close to my heart."

"Of course." Cap paused. "I take it you've seen the princess by now?"

Cass nodded, bringing her hands down to her lap. 

"I figured," Cap admitted, "otherwise you'd have no idea where I live now. And, let me guess...she's planning a party, isn't she?"

"In her words," Cass laughed, "it's more of a 'dinner between friends'. But, yes. It's at six o' clock, and she asked me to invite you."

"Well then," Cap beamed, "I'll be there. I haven't been to the castle in quite some time. King Frederic has decreed that I'm allowed there whenever I'd like, but honestly, I prefer to stay in more nowadays. Still, though, it should be pleasant to see everybody." 

"I'm hoping so," Cass groaned. She glanced over at the clock on the wall, which read two o' clock. "I think I might go back to my quarters and re-charge before dinner, Dad. I heard Varian installed hot showers, and I'm pretty excited to take one. Also...it's been, well, five years since I've slept in a castle-grade bed, and this girl needs one hell of a nap if she's going to get through dinner tonight." 

Cap nodded. "Understandable. Let me show you out, dear." 

The pair stood up, and Cass embraced her father one more time. No matter how old she got, and as much as she wouldn't have wanted to admit it before, she found great comfort in her father's arms--after all, they were the first pair of arms that had held her only because they truly wanted to. 

"Can you swing by at, say, half past five and make sure I'm awake, Dad?" Cass asked. "I think if I don't have anyone to wake me up, I might actually sleep for a week. And that way, we can head to dinner together."

Cap let out a hearty laugh, and nodded his head. "Of course, dear. It'd be my pleasure." He led her to the door. "Have a good nap, Cassandra. It's good to have you home."

"I will," Cass smiled, turning to leave. "See you soon, Dad. Goodbye." 

****************

Cassandra had made her way back to her quarters in record time, and now, stood before the door to the room she had grown up in. There was no point in wasting time, Cass figured, and she really, really, really wanted to nap. 

Gently, she opened the door and took a couple of steps in, before closing the door behind her. 

Rapunzel hadn't lied--her room did look exactly as she had left it, save for the new shower in the corner. Her heart filled with glee as she soaked in her surroundings. Her bed, the fireplace up against her left wall, and all of her cabinets were in the same place. Even the painting she had always left hung above her bed was still there.

Cassandra tentatively approached the armoire which held all of her gear and weapons--the one she had busted through five years ago in her rage. She swung open the doors, and was ecstatic to find all of the weapons she had left behind. Her sparring dummy with Eugene's face was still there, too, as well as her torn handmaiden's headpiece. 

Cassandra could hardly believe Rapunzel had gone through all of this effort to repair her room, and to restore it back to its original glory. Cass turned back around towards her bed, and noticed a towel, some pajamas, and a few fresh pairs of linens--just her style--on top of her blanket. She moved the clothes and towels to the side temporarily, before flopping down on her bed. 

The mattress felt like absolute heaven on her back. It was a pleasant shift, after five years of sleeping wherever she had to on the road. She flipped over and wrapped her arms around her old pillows, hugging them tight under herself. 

"God, it's good to be home," Cassandra groaned. 

Cassandra forced herself to sit up--if she lay in that position too long, she was sure to pass out, and she hadn't showered yet. She grabbed the towel, dragged her weary legs out of bed, stood up, and walked towards the shower. 

It took Cass a moment of fiddling with the handles to figure out how to get the shower to operate--the new technology all but confounded her at first. Once she did get the shower on, she promptly undressed and stood under the running water.

The experience was something Cassandra could only describe as transcendental. It felt like a heavy rainstorm, but concentrated all in one spot and wonderfully warm. Finally, she was able to properly rinse away the dirt and grime of five years on the road. It had been forever since she had even bathed in hot water--while it was a luxury she took for granted growing up in the castle, most common people in the small villages she visited bathed themselves in chilly water from a nearby stream, well, or other water source. So, while she was on the road, she did the same. 

Cassandra spent close to a half an hour in the shower, allowing the steamy water to run over and refresh her until the faucet began to spit cold water. 

Once Cass decided she had spent long enough in the shower, she dried herself with and wrapped up in the towel. She made her way back over to her bed, and slid into the comfortable, silky pajamas provided for her. Cassandra crawled into bed and under her blanket, cocooning herself in the warm down. She rolled onto her stomach, wrapped her arms around her pillow once more, and closed her eyes. 

Within seconds, Cassandra had drifted off peacefully to sleep.


	6. A Plentiful Feast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello, party people! It's been a while since I uploaded, but don't think I forgot about Tangled, or about y'all. I'm sure you're all feeling the same way, but life has been super complicated with all the virus stuff going on. My transition to working from home was a bit of a rough one--but on the bright side, I got a personal laptop yesterday, so it should be easier for me to update now! Also, I worked on this chapter gradually over the weeks, drafting in my notebook, editing and re-editing and such. I wanted it to be good for you guys. So, the (hopefully) much anticipated dinner chapter...here you are! Please let me know what y'all think. Stay safe, stay inside, read some fic, watch some Tangled, and wash your hands. Love you guys all so much!

Cassandra woke up to a knocking at her bedroom door. 

"Cassandra," called her father's voice from outside, "are you awake?"

"I am now," Cassandra groaned, rolling over and sitting up. "I don't want to be, though. That was the best sleep I've had in years."

"Well, it's half past five," Cap chimed, "so we'd better get going. You don't want to be late to your own dinner, Cass."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Cass murmured, rubbing her eyes. "Give me a minute to get dressed, I'll be right out." Taking a deep breath, Cassandra stood up and moved towards the new linens that had been provided for her. She picked out a long sleeved gray shirt with a maroon undershirt, and solid black trousers. It looked remarkably similar to her favorite outfit from when she lived in Corona, but slightly different. 

She straightened her clothes, ruffled and fixed her hair, and moved towards the door. Upon opening it, she found her father leaning up against the wall. He glanced at her and smiled. 

"You look like...you," Cap poked. "Are you ready for dinner, dear?" 

"No," Cass sighed, "but I have to be. Even though I'm absolutely exhausted and would rather be sleeping."

"Well," Cap grinned, "sleeping is not permitted when the princess is throwing a dinner in your honor."

"I know," Cass groaned. "Honestly, Dad, I'm really nervous."

"Understandable," nodded Cap, "but you'll be alright, Cassandra. Now, let's get going, dear. No use in wasting time."

Within moments, Cassandra and her father had arrived at the main dining room, where the kingdom typically held its smaller dinners--the same room where she and Eugene had both broken the King's favorite vase. 

Cassandra glanced over at her father, a feeling of uncertainty growing in her stomach. "Well," she huffed, "ready, Dad?"

Cap nodded, and Cassandra slowly pushed the hall doors open. To her surprise and relief, only Rapunzel and Eugene (and of course Pascal) were currently sat in the room. 

"There you are," Rapunzel exclaimed, jumping up from her seat at the table. "And look, it's my favorite Captain of the Guards," she teased, glancing back at Eugene. She first hugged Cass, and then wrapped Cap in a bear hug. Cassandra snickered as she watched her father's face morph into a look of confusion, then to one of resigned acceptance. 

"Good to see you, Cap," Eugene called from the table, standing up and moving towards the group. Eugene opted for a very quick hug for Cass, and a handshake for Cap. 

"You should stop by more for dinner, Cap," Rapunzel suggested. "I'm sure my father will be thrilled to see such a dedicated Coronan at the table tonight."

"Thank you, Princess," Cap responded, bowing his head slightly. 

"Come on, Cap," Raps laughed, "you should know by now you can call me Rapunzel. Now," she continued, "I told everyone else not to be here until 6:30. I figured you'd enjoy a bit of downtime between the four of us."

Pascal chirped on Rapunzel's shoulder, and jumped over onto Cass as if to remind the princess that he was here, too. 

"Right," Rapunzel corrected herself, "the five of us. My bad, Pascal."

Cass reached up and pet Pascal's head lightly. "Thank you, Raps," she smiled, "you were right. A little downtime with you before dinner sounds lovely."

"Perfect," Raps smiled, moving back over towards the table. She gestured to the regal seat at the head of the table. "Obviously, that's my dad's seat. Usually, my mom would sit to his right and I to his left," she explained. "Cap, you can have my seat--I'll sit next to my mom, and Cass can be on the other side of me. Sound good so far?"

"Rapunzel, would you really have me take your place next to the king?" Cap inquired. 

"Of course," Rapunzel smiled. "It should be good for you two to catch up! And Eugene will sit next to you, so he can be across from me. Lance and his kids will sit next to Eugene--"

"Wait a minute," Cass interjected, "Lance has kids?"

"Yes," Rapunzel responded, "I forgot you didn't know about that! He adopted Catalina and Kiera, not too long after you went on the road."

"Wow," Cass grinned, "I never thought of Lance as the fatherly type, but that's good news nonetheless."

"Yes, it is," Rapunzel said. "He's been doing very well with them, too. They live in Corona, not too far off the island. I only invited two other people--Varian and Quirin. They'll sit next to you, Cass," Rapunzel explained. 

"Okay," Cass nodded, "sounds good to me. Thank you for not inviting the whole kingdom," she jested.

"Well," Rapunzel sighed, "you know I would have liked to, but I knew that isn't what you would have wanted."

"Give me a break, sunshine," Eugene snickered, "when Cass wants a small party she gets it, but my birthday celebration has to have a bazillion people?"

"Well, Eugene," Rapunzel reminded, "you are Captain of the Guards, Prince Consort, and the future King Consort. And when have you ever wanted a small party?"

"I prefer 'future King'," Eugene corrected, "but touché."

"King Consort, Fitzherbert," Cass teased, "not King."

"Eh," Eugene shrugged, "semantics. It's like the difference between a lizard and a frog. Besides, if you hadn't heard, I am actual royalty, unlike some people, so..."

"Fitzherbert," Cassandra growled, "if you don't--"

"Okay, everyone!" Rapunzel interjected cheerfully. "6:10, twenty minutes til party time. I bet our guests will be coming in any minute, so look sharp and quit the bickering, you two."

As if on cue, there was a knock at the hall door. Cass' stomach was churning, and it felt as if she could throw up at any moment. 

"Are you ready, Cass?" Rapunzel asked, glancing toward her friend. 

Although she wasn't anywhere near ready, Cassandra nodded her head. 

"Come in," Rapunzel exclaimed, and the door swung open. 

Cassandra did a double-take when she saw who was standing in the room. The short, black hair with a blue streak and goggles were unmistakable, but the man standing in front of her was unrecognizable. Varian had grown exponentially since she last saw him--before, he was shorter than her, but by now he had an inch or two on Eugene. He had put on quite a few pounds, but not in a bad way. Before, he was a scrawny little kid, and now he looked as if he would be able to pick Cassandra up and throw her across the room, or pick her up by her collar as she had once done to him. He had lost his baby face, and now sported a small growth of hair on his chin. Quirin, she noted, did not look much different. He was slightly more weathered and somewhat gray, but overall looked no worse for wear than he had five years ago. 

Cassandra was torn from her thoughts by a pair of arms wrapping her in a hug, and lifting her straight off of the ground. 

"Cassie!" Varian exclaimed. "I...still am allowed to call you that, right?"

"Yes, Varian," Cass chuckled, "only you, though--don't get it twisted, Fitzherbert."

"Okay, Cassie,” jested Eugene, a sly grin on his face. For this, he was met with death stares from both Varian and Cass. “You know what? Nevermind. The last thing I need is Potions and Icy both mad at me.”

Cass shook her head, and turned back to face her old friend. “It’s good to see you, Varian,” Cass smiled. “My years away certainly have changed you. How old are you now?”

“Twenty-one,” Varian grinned. “I’m not a kid anymore. And, yes, I suppose I’ve grown quite a bit. Five years is a long time.

“It is,” Cass laughed, “and in five more, you’ll be wishing you were a kid again.”

“Probably,” Varian acknowledged. “Oh, and, we brought you something.” Varian turned to his father, and Quirin took a hand from behind his back. In the hand was a bouquet of brightly colored purple and blue flowers, which Varian then handed to Cassandra.

“Honestly,” Varian chuckled, “not sure if you’re big on flowers, but…” 

“Usually the answer is not really, but I’ll make an exception. Thank you, Varian, and you too, Quirin. It’s good to see you both.” Cassandra moved towards the table, and placed the flowers near her seat. 

“It’s good to see you as well, Cassandra,” replied Quirin. “I know my son and the Princess have missed you dearly. Welcome home.” 

“Wait a minute, Cassie,” Varian exclaimed, “is that my Cassandrium necklace you’re wearing?” 

Cass absentmindedly reached up and touched her neckline. “Oh, yeah--it is. Honestly, I haven’t taken it off since I left Corona. I couldn’t take much with me, so it’s like a little piece of Corona to take on the road. Besides...it’s not every day you get an element named after you.”

A grin spread across Varian’s face. “Well,” he said, “I’m honored.”

As he spoke, the dining hall door swung open once more, this time with no prior warning. Cassandra glanced up to see Lance, Catalina, and Kiera walk through the door. 

The years had not changed Lance much at all. His head was still as bare, beard still as bushy, build still as muscular, and fashion taste much the same as it was when she had left Corona. The same, however, could not be said for the girls. Catalina and Kiera had been perhaps 10 or 11 when she’d left, and they were now bright, healthy-looking young women of 15 or 16. Catalina still wore her fiery red hair loose around her shoulders, and Kiera’s jet black bob was tied back into a short ponytail. It appeared to her, even from a glance, that Lance had done a good job fathering the teens--the entire family exuded an air of happiness.

“Cassandra!” Lance bellowed. “Long time no see, old friend.” Once more, Cass was scooped off of the ground into a hug. As much as she appreciated the fact that her friends had missed her, this whole flying off of the ground at a high velocity thing was getting old. 

“Long time no see indeed,” Cassandra groaned as Lance set her down. 

“And there,” Lance grinned, pride shining in his eyes, “are my daughters Catalina and Kiera. I know you’ve met, but…” 

“Yes,” Cass acknowledged, “congratulations, Lance, and hello girls! You two look wonderful.” 

Catalina’s face lit up with a shy smile. “Thank you, Aunt Cass! It’s good to have you back.”

“Yeah,” Kiera agreed with a grin, “welcome home.”

Slightly taken aback, Cass glanced at Lance. “Well, I didn’t know I’d been extended aunt status. But, thank you, girls.” 

“Of course,” Lance beamed, putting a hand on each girl’s shoulder. “And now the whole family is back together. Right, girls?” 

“Mmhmm,” Kiera nodded, glancing over at the other adults. “Oh, and hi, Aunt Raps, Uncle Eugene, Uncle Varian, Cap, Quirin, Pascal. Sorry, you’re not the guests of honor,” she snickered.

“No offense taken here,” Rapunzel smiled warmly. “I know everyone has missed Cass dearly. Speaking of everyone...it’s almost 6:30. My parents should be arriving shortly.” 

The pit in Cassandra’s stomach returned, and she stared down at the floorboards, twisting her hands together in front of her. She was immensely nervous to see the King and Queen again, after all that had happened. She’d betrayed them, she reminded herself--how could she dare to step foot in their kingdom, let alone their dining hall? She, whose one and only role in life was to be a humble servant...and, despite how she felt, it was a good one. She should have been grateful, it should have been enough. She had a best friend and one of the highest positions a maiden could ask for, Lady-in-Waiting to the lost Princess, as well as a father who was Captain of the Guard. In all of her ignorance, she had failed to realize what she had and everything that she was offering up for destruction, all in the sake of power. How selfish could one be? 

Cassandra was torn out of her thoughts by a light, gentle tapping on her shoulder. She pivoted her head back slightly to see who it was, and her eyes met Varian’s face. “I know you’re nervous. It’s gonna be okay,” he reassured. “Trust me.” 

Cass decided to take his word for it. It was all that she could do to keep her sanity in those excruciatingly long moments of waiting. 

Almost exactly as the clock struck 6:30, the doors swung open, and in walked King Frederic and Queen Arianna. They carried themselves regally, as any great rulers should, with heads held high and faces that could be read as either pleased or discontented. The years had weathered them some, Frederic’s beard and Arianna’s hair now streaked with tints of gray. That wasn’t to say they didn’t look fantastic--both King and Queen were strikingly attractive people, and always had been.

Obviously, Cassandra thought to herself. They made Rapunzel.

Cass snapped herself back to reality, remembering her place. As she was not wearing a dress, she bowed deeply towards the royals. “Your Royal Highnesses, thank you for welcoming me back into your kingdom with open arms. I am eternally grateful.” 

“Very well,” nodded Frederic. “I hope your years away have treated you well.”

“Thank you, Your Highness,” Cass responded, a weight lifting off of her shoulders. “Of course, no place could treat one as well as Corona.” 

“That is very kind, Cassandra,” smiled Arianna. “Come now everyone, let us sit.” 

Everyone obliged, scrambling to find their respective seats at the table--after Frederic and Arianna had taken theirs, of course. 

“I hope you don’t mind, Dad, I swapped seats with Cap,” smiled Rapunzel. “I wanted to sit next to Cass, and this way, you two can catch up!”

“It is not a problem,” affirmed Frederic. “Thank you for joining us, Captain. Your face is a welcome sight. Do try to come around more often.”

“Yes, of course, Your Highness,” replied Cap. “It is always a great honor to be in your presence. Thank you for having me.” 

“Very well,” Frederic responded, a glint of happiness in his otherwise stoic, unforgiving eyes. 

“Now, everyone,” Rapunzel beamed, “dinner should be in just a moment!”

“Good,” snickered Eugene, patting his stomach, “cause I am huuuuuuuuuuuungry!” 

Cass glanced anxiously at the king, expecting to read notes of disapproval on the monarch’s face. To her surprise, her eyes met with a small smirk. 

“Well, good,” Rapunzel said, gesturing towards the door, “because dinner is served.” 

Servants poured in, carrying generous heaps of food for just eleven people. There was gorgeous honeyed ham, tender-looking slow roasted chicken, and filets of steak, as well as plentiful vegetables, breads and side dishes of all sorts. Some of the servants Cassandra recognized--Friedborg, Old Lady Crowley, Ethel, Faith. However, there were many more whom she did not recognize, cementing in her mind exactly how long she had been away from the castle.

Friedborg, carrying a bottle of the finest champagne, started ‘round the table, filling the glasses of those who were of age. As she made her way to Cass’ side of the table, it struck Cass how utterly peculiar this experience was. She was used to being a handmaiden, not the guest of honor. She thanked Friedborg generously when her glass was filled, met by silence, of course.

Once all of the food was laid on the table, and all of the glasses filled, the servants stepped back from the table to attend to the dinner. Eugene started to reach out towards the food, but a quick glance from Raps was enough to make him draw his hand back. 

“Before we dine, I have a few words I would like to say,” began Queen Arianna. “As I’m sure you’re all aware, we are gathered here tonight to welcome home a beloved Coronan. Though we all know the happenings of five years ago, that is not what tonight is about. Cassandra--you served your kingdom dutifully for many years. We’ve watched you grow from childhood into a loyal, hard working servant of Corona. When our daughter returned to us, we knew none other than you would be fit to protect her. Despite all that has transpired since then, you returned home. Corona will always be just that, Cassandra, your home. At the end of the day, your story is one of growth, loyalty, and rebirth. Despite your challenges, you made the right decision, and you sacrificed your life for the good of Corona. Frederic and I would like you to know that no matter how far and wide you may go, you will always have a place within these walls.”

Cassandra was unable to stop the tears that welled up in her eyes. How could she possibly deserve such treatment from the rulers of the kingdom she nearly destroyed? When her own mother kidnapped their beloved daughter, they gave her a home, with her father, within these walls. Now, five years after her massive betrayal to the kingdom, they had opened their home and their hearts to her once more. Even if she had made the right decision in the end...she didn’t understand how she could possibly be deserving of such hospitality on their part. 

Cassandra dabbed the tears from her eyes. “Thank you, Your Highnesses. I will always be so deeply thankful for all that you have provided me with throughout my life. I have no words to describe how appreciative I am.”

“You needn’t them,” assured Arianna. 

“Now,” Rapunzel exclaimed, an enormous smile on her face and tears on her cheeks, “a toast to Cassandra, and to coming home.” 

Cassandra looked around in awe as her friends, father, and rulers alike raised their glasses to her homecoming. The air of merriment surrounding her was almost too much to bear. 

“To Cassandra,” Rapunzel smiled, followed by a sip of her drink. The others closely followed suit. 

After the clamor from the toast had died down and everyone had taken a sip, or many sips, of their drinks, King Frederic served himself. After heaping a portion fit for a king onto his dish, he gave the others permission to feast.

Cass loaded her plate with all of the aromatic meats, as well as some corn, yams, potatoes, and fresh bread. She hadn’t had a meal this generous in years--quite literally--and by the time she’d finished eating, her heart and her belly were full. 

After the meal and a glass or two of champagne, Frederic and Arianna excused themselves to attend to royal duties. Cassandra bowed and thanked them profusely for their presence and kind words as they left.

Everybody else lingered a bit longer, reveling in good company, good faith, good cheer, and expensive champagne. One by one, the groups excused themselves with hugs goodbye, well wishes, and promises to see one another again soon. 

It was a quarter before nine by the time Cass was again alone with her father, Raps, Eugene, and Pascal. 

“Rapunzel,” Cass sighed, slightly drunk and staring at the clock on the wall, “thank you. So much. I don’t believe I’ve ever felt so cared for in my life.”

Rapunzel beamed. “Good, Cass. You always have been cared for.”

“Well, with the exception of by the most handsome gentleman at the table,” poked Eugene.

“Sure, Fitzherbert,” Cass rolled her eyes, “you love me.”

“Love is a strong word, but you didn’t deny my being the most handsome, so...maybe a little,” Eugene admitted with a grin.

“Well then,” Rapunzel smiled, “I’m sure you and Cap are tired. We’ll let you go, if you’d like.” 

“I am tired, yes, and a little drunk,” Cass admitted, shaking her head. 

“Aren’t we all?” Cap yawned. “It’s bedtime for this old-timer.” 

“Okay, Dad,” Cassandra laughed, “let’s get you home.” 

Cass grabbed Varian's flowers and gave one last thank you and hug to Raps and Eugene. She also reached her hand out to pat Pascal's head before heading towards the door. 

“Cass,” Rapunzel called from behind her, “see you tomorrow?”

Cassandra glanced over her shoulder, a smile dancing on her lips. “Yeah, Raps. See you tomorrow.”


	7. A Heart to Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello, party people! I hope you all enjoy this cute chapter that builds on Cass and Varian's friendship. They are besties. <3 Please tell me what you think and leave a comment if ya want! More to come soon. Stay safe, stay inside, read some fic, watch some Tangled, and wash your hands. Love y'all!!!! <3 <3 <3

Cassandra sat on the edge of her bed, wringing her hands together and absentmindedly staring at the wall. Her heart felt like a ton of bricks in her chest, and the lump in her throat wasn’t much better. 

Tonight’s dinner was wonderful--she had never, in her life, felt more loved and appreciated. But how could she deserve the treatment she’d received? In her mind it was impossible to rationalize. She’d been expecting a warm welcome from Varian tonight, sure. She really had missed the kid, even if she felt bad for his painstakingly obvious crush on her. She could never think of him in that way, but he was a good kid, and she would always hold their friendship dear to her heart. She expected a warm welcome from Lance, too, as the pair of them had had their fair share of adventures and jolly times. Her father, Rapunzel, Eugene...the love she’d received from them was a given, also. Did she deserve it? Not in a million years. Did she know they still loved her? Yes. 

The King and Queen, though. She had been expecting, at best, a stiff ‘hello’ and resigned acceptance of her return to the kingdom. That was all that she deserved from them, at the very most--what she truly deserved was banishment, but she and they both knew Rapunzel would be heartbroken if they chose that path. 

But the warmth, the love, the acceptance--that, certainly, she did not deserve. She’d gone rogue, chose the path of evil, of betrayal, of treason. She had destroyed the castle, the kingdom, and all in her path. To the best of Cassandra’s knowledge, there had been no human casualties, and for that she thanked the God that she did not believe in. Still, the damage she had done to the people and the spirit of Corona was irreparable on her part. Castles and towns can be rebuilt, and so can spirit to some extent, but the trauma she had caused to the average citizen of Corona was likely beyond repair. Cass knew that. No person should have to live to see their kingdom and home destroyed as they all had. 

The King and Queen had forgiven Eugene, sure. They’d forgiven Varian, too, but not before locking him away in a dungeon while he was still by all measures a child. She could not understand the kind words given to her by the Queen, nor the fact that they could find it within themselves to welcome her back to Corona with open arms. Frederic and Arianna were quite possibly some of the kindest, most forgiving people she had ever met--even to those like her, who didn’t deserve it.

Cassandra pulled herself from her thoughts, and laid back on her bed, closing her eyes. She pulled her covers all the way over her head, shutting herself off from the outside world. She tried to find sleep, tried to distract herself from her thoughts by thinking of something, anything else. She tossed and turned, trying to free herself from the clutches of her own emotions. She was foolish to try--it never worked. The guilt always came crawling back, boring holes in her conscience and weighing down her heart. Although she was beyond tired and worn out from her journey to Corona, she could not for the life of her fall asleep. 

Just when she was most in need of a distraction, she heard a knocking on her door. She glanced at the clock on her wall--it read half past eleven. 

“Who is it?” she called, sitting up once more, this time resting her back against the headboard of her bed. 

“Uhhh, it’s Varian,” called the voice from outside the chamber. “Can I come in?”

“Sure,” she replied, “I can’t sleep, anyway.” 

Varian opened the door, peeking in before making a few steps into the room. He lingered awkwardly in the doorframe, glancing from Cass, to the wall, back to Cass.

“You can sit,” she said, gesturing to the foot of her bed, as she hadn’t a chair in the room. “Just close the door behind you.” 

Varian obliged, shutting the door gently and meandering over to her bed, before sitting down. He outstretched his hands, staring at them for a moment, before clearing his throat and turning to face Cass, now cross-legged on her bed.

“Sorry, I’m a little drunk,” he laughed.

“Yeah,” Cass grinned, “I can tell. What are you, some kind of lightweight?”

“I guess so,” Varian shrugged. “I’m not usually that big on drinking. I had a couple on my birthday, and I’ll drink at parties, but rarely on my own. I’m so busy working all of the time. Being the kingdom’s chief engineer, although an honor, is hard work.”

“Chief engineer, huh? Well, I’ve missed out on a lot. Thanks for the showers, by the way. They do a hell of a lot of good after 5 years on the road.” 

“Yeah,” Varian smiled, “I bet.”

The room fell silent for a beat, and Varian took a deep breath before speaking again.

“Listen Cassie,” he spoke, fiddling with his hands, “I know you’re not big on, uh, sharing emotions, but I just wanted to come by to make sure you were okay.”

“Oh.” Cass paused. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thanks.”

“If you’re sure,” Varian sighed, “but I don’t believe it for a second.” 

“Well, that’s a little rude,” Cass said, drawing her knees in close to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “I’m okay, Varian. I promise.” 

“Sure,” Varian smiled. “Okay. But, just--Cass, I’m the only one who can really understand what you’re feeling right now. And you can be, well, you, and keep it all inside if you really want, but I think I know almost exactly how you’re feeling.” He paused, and took in another deep breath. “I don’t like to talk about it. Or think about it. Cassie, you don’t know the half of the damage that I caused.”

“Sure I do,” Cass replied. “I led the fight when Dad got injured. I was there when we saved the Queen.” 

“No.” Varian’s face was filled with a regret that read as all too familiar to Cass. He spoke nearly in a whisper, his face scrunched up as if he were about to start sobbing. “That’s not all.”

“Oh,” Cassandra responded, her stomach dropping. “I see.” 

“I hate talking about it. It was the darkest time of my life,” Varian said. “I think it’s important, though. For you to know the truth, and I mean, the whole truth.”

“Well, okay,” Cass replied. “I’m all ears.”

“You have to promise you won’t judge me.” 

“Judge you? Varian, do you know who the hell you’re talking to? I don’t have the room to judge anyone, on anything.” 

“Okay,” Varian sighed. “Well then, here goes. So, it started when you all were on the road. The, uh, Saporians--Andrew and them, I’m sure you remember--came back. And, well, they offered to free me if I helped them take over Corona...so, I did. I was so bitter and alone, locked in that cell. It felt like my only option. I knew Corona wasn’t going to forgive me, or at least, that’s what I thought. Long story short, I guess, we wiped the memories of the King and Queen. We had them under our control. We had Frederic order the citizens to mine minerals for me. They didn’t want to, but since it was coming from him, rebelling would be treason. We had everyone under our control. The crystals, they were to make Quirenion. Basically, Quirenion was a compound I came up with to...to wipe the memories of everyone in Corona. But then, Rapunzel came back. Rapunzel came back and the compound wasn’t ready. It was explosive. But the Saporians decided it was well enough. They wanted to destroy Corona, they wanted to blow everyone and everything up.” Varian paused and took a deep breath, batting at his eyes. “I thought that if everyone forgot all of the horrid things that I had done, we could be friends again, and they’d trust me and love me again. I never wanted to kill anyone, never. I came to my wits and tried to stop them, but I failed. They threw me in a cell with Rapunzel. Then, Lance and Eugene got there, and they wanted to free just Rapunzel. But, you know Rapunzel,” he laughed, “she wouldn’t have it. She gave me a second chance.”

Varian shook his head and slumped back against the foot of Cassandra’s bed. “Obviously, we beat them. And the King and Queen got their memory back...but Cass, it still haunts me. I couldn’t understand at first how everyone could forgive me--least of all the King and Queen. But, Cassie, they did.” He folded his hands in his lap, glancing down. “I imagine you’re feeling much the same, and I know tonight was probably overwhelming for you. That’s why I’m here. I want you to know...if you’re anything like me, you probably think that you don’t deserve it, but you do. The forgiveness, I mean. You deserve every ounce of it. Both of us made our mistakes, Cassie, and they were big ones. I’m not denying that. But Corona is a place unlike any other. Our King and Queen are so merciful, so compassionate. Our citizens are the same way, because they lead by example. They forgave Eugene. They forgave the pub thugs. They forgave Lance. They forgave Catalina and Kiera. They forgave me. And they’ve forgiven you, Cassie.” 

“I wish I could tell you that the guilt goes away.” He paused. “It doesn’t. Or at least, it hasn’t for me. Readjusting, going out in public, that will be hard at first, too. But the people, they’ll forgive you. They’ve forgiven me, and I basically put them into forced labor camps. We are changed people, Cassie, and there was always good in our hearts. That’s why we chose the path of light at the end of the day. That’s why we fought so hard for you--me, Rapunzel, Eugene. We knew that you were just lost...and it’s okay to be lost sometimes. Really, it is. I don’t know what your plans are, or if you intend to stay here...we all want you to, but you’re your own person. Whether you stay or you’re just visiting, Cass, Queen Arianna was right. You will always have a home here, and you will always have a place here. You’ll find your purpose here, if you choose to stay--I did, and I’d never thought it possible. This kingdom is filled with people you love, and people who love you, right on up to the throne. I mean, obviously they’d never say it, but I think they’ve always loved you. They’ve always loved all of us as citizens, obviously, but I think they’ve always had a soft spot for you, Cass. Especially Arianna...though I’d ask Rapunzel about that one.”

The room fell silent, both Cass and Varian staring at the floor. They stayed that way for a moment--Cass taking in everything she had just learned, and all of the wisdom that this young man had just imparted upon her. He was right. He might be the only one in Corona that could truly understand what she was feeling. 

Eventually, Cassandra broke the silence. “Thank you, Varian,” she spoke. “You were right. I’m not usually one to open up, at all. You know that. It’s just easier to deal with shit on my own...but maybe you are the only person who really knows what I’m feeling, and maybe I needed that. So, thank you.” 

“Of course, Cassie,” Varian smiled. “I just want you to know that I love you, and that we love you. It’s not going to be easy, I won’t lie to you about that. The guilt still lives on within me, but...I’ve been forgiven, and that helps. You have been, too.” 

“Do you really think I have a place here?” Cassandra looked up at Varian, their eyes meeting for the first time since the conversation had begun. “I can’t go back to being a lady-in-waiting. Sewing and cleaning and serving tables...as much as I love being around Raps so much, it’s just not me,” she sighed. 

“You don’t have to. Maybe you could ask Eugene to become a guard, instead,” he suggested. “You certainly have the qualifications.”

“Maybe,” she admitted, “but that couldn’t be for quite a while. Years, at least. I know Eugene would say yes. As much as he likes to pretend he hates me, we have fun, bickering and all. The people of Corona don’t trust me for that yet, though. I can’t just waltz back in after 5 years and immediately join the guard.” 

“True,” Varian sighed, “maybe that’s not the best idea quite yet. Well, the shops around town are always hiring, and you could always come work for me...you know, if engineering is your thing, and you don’t mind working for yours truly.”

“That could be an option, maybe,” she shrugged. “I don’t have any experience, but it’s better than being a handmaiden. I just hate being a freeloader. I mean, I literally got here earlier and I already feel like a freeloader. Even Eugene isn’t freeloading anymore, that could not be me.”

“I know you’re the kind of person who likes to work for their keep, Cassie, and that’s very respectable,” Varian said softly. “But you’ve been on the road, working and surviving on your lonesome, for five years. I’d reckon to say they were long years, too, because they were long for us without you here.”

“They were.” 

“Exactly. So, take your time before jumping back into everything, Cass. Spend some time with Rapunzel and Eugene, me and Lance. Get to know the girls. Go visit the Snuggly Duckling and Monty’s Sweet Shoppe and Atilla the Bun. Have Feldspar make you some new boots. God knows you probably need them after five years.” Varian laughed, and Cass followed suit. He wasn’t wrong. “Enjoy a couple of good meals. Ride Fidella out to the walls with Rapunzel. Go on some...friend dates, or whatever fun, extensive list of activities Rapunzel is inevitably going to plan for you two. Everything is calm here, now. The kingdom doesn’t need saving anymore. Our crazy, world-saving adventures are over. We get to make new memories. Happy ones, where we don’t nearly die.” 

“That sounds nice,” Cassandra admitted. “I’ll probably give myself a week at most, though, if I decide to stay, before finding my new calling here in Corona.”

“Well, a week is better than nothing,” Varian chuckled. “Cassie? Do you think you’re gonna stay?”

Cassandra sighed. “I don’t know, Varian. It depends on what my heart is telling me, I suppose.”

“And if I were Eugene, I’d say, ‘Wow! I didn’t know you had one of those!’” jested Varian. “Seriously, though--that makes sense. I hope you find your place here again, Cassandra. God knows, we missed you dearly. Especially Rapunzel.”

“Did she really?”

“More than you know, Cassandra. It was hard for her, you being gone, even if she knew it was for the best.” 

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry about it, Cassie. She was fine. She just missed you, a lot.” 

“I can’t believe I missed their wedding,” Cass sighed. It might have torn her apart to be there, sure, but her absence probably tore Rapunzel apart, too. 

“She understood, Cass. She wanted you there, but she understood.” 

“Thank you.”

Varian glanced at the clock on the wall, and Cassandra followed suit. It now read one o’ clock in the morning--Cass could hardly believe an entire hour and a half had passed since Varian knocked on the door.

“Wow,” huffed Varian, “it’s getting late, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Cass huffed. “I didn’t even notice. We should probably get some sleep, shouldn’t we?”

“Probably,” Varian acknowledged with a groan. “I have to be up at eight o’ clock.” 

“Go to bed, kid,” Cassandra laughed. “Are you still drunk? Will you make it to your room in a straight line?”

“Uhh, probably,” he laughed. “That conversation sobered me up a bit.” 

“Understandable,” Cass nodded. “Now, get out of my room. We both have some sleeping to do.”

Varian let out a chuckle, standing up from the bed. “Okay, okay. Hey, by the way, thanks for listening to me. I think I needed that too.”

“Yeah, of course,” Cass replied.

“You can come to me anytime,” Varian smiled. “I know you probably won’t, and that’s okay, but you can. Just so you know.”

“You might be right, but we’ll see,” Cass chuckled. “Thank you for everything, Varian. It’s been good to see you. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Cassie.” Varian made his way to the door, glanced back at Cass one more time, and shut the door behind them.

Cassandra rested her head on her pillow with a newfound comfort. He may be a goofy kid sometimes, but he was smart, and wise beyond his years. Cassandra had always known the first part to be true, and realized the second part tonight. He was right. He was the only person who could even begin to understand how she was feeling. Sure, he didn’t know the half of it. No one knew how she truly felt about Rapunzel, and without knowing that, no one could understand the fullest extent of what pushed her to her madness. But he understood enough. 

Hopefully he was right. Maybe the Coronans would come to forgive her, even if she could not forgive herself. All that she could do for now was hope...and try to sleep.

She knew Rapunzel would have some long itinerary of ways for them to spend time together, either tomorrow or sometime this week. As much as she probably would have hated a ‘ladies day’ or whatever Rapunzel was bound to call it before everything had went down, her heart was nearly bursting at the seams with excitement presently. It was going to be a fun day.

Maybe she could belong here again. 

That was the sentiment within Cassandra’s mind and heart that night, as she drifted lazily off to sleep--a sentiment of hope, a sentiment of belonging, a sentiment of loving and being loved. 

A sentiment of new beginnings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a disclaimer: for those of you who ship Cassarian it won't be in this fic BUT you can look forward to many cute friendship moments! I think their friendship is and always has been SUPER important to the both of them. Much love <3


	8. Rapunzel's Visit

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello, party people! This is the first half of a chapter that I was gonna post as one, but it was quite lengthy, so I decided to post in two parts. More coming in an hour or so, later tonight. Tell me what you think! As always, stay safe, stay healthy, stay inside, read some fic, watch some Tangled, and I love y'all! <3

Cassandra awoke the next morning--if you could call it that--to a knocking on her door. When she turned her attention to the clock, it read a few minutes past 12 o’ clock noon. It was unlike Cassandra to sleep that late, but given her long journey and the amount of expensive alcohol she had consumed, it made sense. 

“Who is it?” she called, sitting up, rubbing her eyes, and doing the best she could to straighten out her unruly dark bedhead.

“It’s me!” chirped Rapunzel’s voice from outside of the room. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah,” Cass groaned, throwing the covers off of herself in an attempt to feign wakefulness, “come in.”

The door swung open slowly, and Cassandra was greeted with the sight she longed to wake up to every morning. Rapunzel’s dazzling smile and bright green eyes shone as she entered the room. 

“Why good morning, sleepyhead,” Rapunzel teased melodically. “I didn’t know you were one to sleep until 12. I thought you’d be up polishing your weapons, or staring longingly at the wall, or doing some other...Cass-esque thing.”

Cassandra let out a hearty chuckle. “Usually, Raps, I would be,” she admitted, “but, well...my journey home was a long one.”

“Oh.” Rapunzel made her way towards Cassandra’s bed and sat at the foot, prompting Cass to draw her legs in closer to herself in order to make room for the princess. “How so?” 

“Oh, not in a bad way,” Cass dismissed. “I just wanted to get here as fast as I could, when I decided I was coming back. That’s all.” 

“Awwww,” Rapunzel poked, “you missed us!”

“Yeah,” Cass smiled, “I did. So, I’m sure there’s a reason you made time to see me in your busy schedule. What’s up?” 

“Well, you’re right, I am pretty busy today,” Rapunzel sighed. “But! Tomorrow, I made sure my schedule was clear for most of the day. I was wondering if you’d be interested in, say...a ladies day?”

Cassandra laughed to herself. She was right--‘ladies day’ was such a Rapunzel thing to call it. “Sure, Raps. A day out with you sounds great.”

“Perfect!” chimed Rapunzel. “It’s a date, then.”

Cass’ heart almost skipped a beat at those four words. “Great,” she grinned. “I’m sure you already have a massive list of stuff for us to do, Raps, but let’s keep it a surprise til tomorrow, yeah?”

“Got it,” Rapunzel nodded. “I wish I could just cancel everything I have to do for the next week, but…”

“Being a statesperson is a big responsibility, Raps,” acknowledged Cass. “I get it, and it means a lot that you’re making time for me.”

“Of course I am,” Rapunzel giggled. “You leave for five years and think I’m not gonna make a big deal of it when you come back?”

“Well…when you put it like that,” Cass shrugged, “it definitely makes sense.” 

“You were gone for a long time, Cass,” Rapunzel said, her face softening, and bubbly facade cracking just a bit. “I missed you. Your absence made me realize...well, a lot about myself, and a lot about my relationship with you. I’m glad you were able to find your own way, don’t get me wrong...” Her voice trailed off, and Cassandra read a deep sadness behind the princess’ emerald green eyes. “My friends here are great, Cass, but you’re different.”

“I’m sorry, Raps,” Cass sighed, drumming her hands together anxiously. “I didn’t mean to--”

“No!” Rapunzel interjected, her face once more smiling. “Don’t be, Cass. You were just doing what you needed to do.” She paused. “I’m just...so happy that you came back to me. Regardless of if you choose to visit or to stay. I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again, honestly.” 

“I couldn’t go my whole life without seeing you, Rapunzel.” Cassandra’s gaze fell to her lap. 

“Oh, I know. I knew you’d find your way home, Cass,” Rapunzel smiled gently, placing a hand on Cass’ knee. “I just worry.” 

Cassandra’s heart was in her throat, her strong, pale hands shaking slightly. “There’s no need to worry about me, Rapunzel. I can hold my own, you know that.”

“I know, I know you can,” Rapunzel smiled. “I’ve never doubted that for a second. Still, though, it’s easy to worry when your thoughts wander to the worst-case-scenario.” 

“I suppose that’s true.”

The room fell silent for a beat, the two girls sitting quietly in each other’s company. Cassandra had missed this. Words needn’t be spoken, glances needn’t be exchanged, for her to feel Rapunzel’s presence beside her. It felt as if this was the way things were meant to be--the two of them, side by side, exchanging emotions without ever raising their heads to speak. Within a few moments, however, Rapunzel’s sing-song voice broke the peaceful silence. 

“Cass?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.” 

Cassandra’s eyes flit up from her lap, meeting Rapunzel’s striking green orbs. She nearly choked on her words trying to get them out, but eventually, she found her voice well enough to speak.

“I love you too, Rapunzel.”

Rapunzel smiled gently, removing her hand from Cassandra’s knee and sitting up straight. She glanced from Cass’ face, back to her lap, back to Cass’ face. Her hands were twisting anxiously in her lap, her leg bouncing up and down off the side of Cass’ bed.

“Is everything good, Raps?” Cass inquired.

“Yes,” Rapunzel responded, “of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know,” Cass shook her head. “Just making sure.”

“Don’t worry about me, old friend,” Rapunzel smiled. “Even when I’m bad, I’m good.”

“Yeah,” Cass chuckled, “that’s Rapunzel for ya.” 

“Yeah,” Raps laughed, “it is.” She breathed in a deep breath, followed by a steep exhale. “Sadly, I have to get going, Cass. A statespersons’ work never ends.”

“True,” Cass acknowledged. “Go get your stuff done, Raps. Thanks for stopping in.”

“Of course,” Rapunzel spoke, standing up from the bed and making her way towards the door. “Cass, don’t lock yourself in here all day. Go get some fresh air. Okay?”

“Maybe,” Cassandra grinned. “I might just stay in bed all day...just for today. You never know, though.”

“Right,” Rapunzel shook her head playfully. “Well, nine o’ clock tomorrow. Okay?”

“Sounds good,” Cass smiled. “Nine o’ clock tomorrow.”

Rapunzel shot Cass one more beaming grin, before stepping out of the room and shutting the door behind her.

Cassandra leaned back on her headboard, exhaling a breath which it felt like she’d been holding in her entire life. Rapunzel sure was capable of making her a shaky, blushing mess, without even knowing that she was doing anything at all. Rapunzel’s words ran on a loop through her head--the unprompted I love you, how much she had missed Cassandra, and…

No, Cassandra thought, shaking her head. There’s no way. Whatever connection beyond friendship Cassandra had felt there, it was not reciprocated. 

She’s in love with Eugene, Cass, she reminded herself. 

But the deep sadness behind those beautiful eyes...what if Josephine had been right? What if--just what if--Rapunzel truly had missed Cass in the same way Cass had missed her? What if Rapunzel dreamt of being held by Cassandra, as Cassandra dreamt of holding her? What if her thoughts, too, were haunted by that last ‘I love you’ they shared before their parting? Of course, these were ridiculous thoughts. Cassandra had seen the way Rapunzel looked at Eugene, read the love in her eyes, far too many times. There was no way that it could ever be what Cass longed for. 

Snap out of it, Cassandra, raved her thoughts. That love will never be for you.


	9. The Power of Candy (and Good Spirits)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello, party people! Here's the next part of today's update. I'll be aiming to finish the ~ladies day~ by this Sunday. I hope you have been enjoying the fic so far--please tell me what you think <3 As always! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay inside, read some fic, watch some Tangled, and I love you all! <3

Varian was right. Cassandra needed new boots. 

She held her raggedy old pair of boots between her knees, sole side up, assessing the damage. On the left shoe, there was a gaping hole up near the toes, and on the right, a hole by the heel. Maybe Feldspar could just repair the soles? Her shoes weren’t in too bad of shape otherwise--the dark leather was still sturdy, laces still intact. It was just those damned holes. 

Cass didn’t want to leave the comfortable walls of the castle. The idea of interacting with the people of Corona, the people whose home she had destroyed, was beyond just daunting. She knew she’d have to eventually, and she knew Raps would more than likely take her out on the town tomorrow...but you have a certain type of immunity when you’re with royalty. Nobody would dare say anything towards you. 

The way she was feeling was cowardly, that much she knew. How dare she come back to the kingdom she destroyed, and impose on its castle to avoid its citizens? The idea of leaving the castle was scary--absolutely horrifying in fact--but Cassandra had to leave...and she had to do it today, before she was under Rapunzel’s royal wing.

Cassandra pulled the small satchel she brought on her travels from beside her bed. She reached inside, feeling around until her fingertips met the changepurse, and pulled it out. Cautiously, she dumped the coins on her bed and began to rummage through them, counting 30 gold pieces and 15 silver pieces. Okay, she thought, not too bad. She’d be able to get her soles repaired with that, easy, and still have enough left over.

Cassandra glanced down at her clothing, realizing she had accidentally fallen asleep in the clothes from yesterday’s party. She stripped down, grabbed her towel, and took a quick shower, rinsing down her body. After she turned the water off, she wrapped herself in a towel and began sorting through her new linens. She set her eyes on another pair of black pants, with a light gray, sweater like top. Once she was dressed, she grabbed a plain pair of black socks, and laced her boots up her calves. The boots were the only shoes she had, and the only shoes she’d want to wear anyway. 

Cass rummaged around in her closet, searching for perhaps an old cloak to wear out on the town--but she decided against it. It was warm enough outside, and she shouldn’t be hiding her face, anyway. She had to own up to everything she’d done. 

Placing her chainpurse back in the satchel, she swung the satchel over her shoulder, and mentally prepared herself for her journey out into the kingdom. Taking a deep breath, she opened her chamber door, and moved out into the hallway. Despite having been gone for five years, she knew the castle like the back of her hand--after all, it was her childhood home. She found her way to the castle’s front doors within moments, and pushed them open, stepping into the courtyard. She was met with the judging eyes of new members of the Corona guard. 

“Gentlemen,” she nodded, trying to keep her composure. She was sure they knew who she was, even if she may not know them. Their rigid faces betrayed no hint of true emotion, but their eyes were piercing. They simply nodded towards her, before turning to face forward, keeping a watchful eye on the courtyard. 

She made her way down the curved staircase on the left-hand side, and before she knew it, she was at the arch separating the castle, and courtyard, from the rest of the settlement on the island. Falling back a bit, Cassandra paused to examine the crowd before setting out into town. There were some people out and about, but most people were likely home taking a lazy Saturday, or at work. 

Steeling her resolve, Cassandra walked out among the people of Corona. She hadn’t taken in her surroundings yesterday, really, she was too busy trying to hide her face from the citizens. Presently, though, she soaked in every last bit of the town she’d grown up in. Vendors with their carts, some selling fruits, some jewelry, some clothing, and a menagerie of other items perched patiently, waiting for customers. Quaint little houses, built of the same tan stone that lined the road, sat tall around Cassandra. They all had their own unique features--some had blue, colorful trim, others flowerboxes in the windows, and one a green door--but overall, maintained an air of community and uniformity. Cassandra could tell that this town had been painstakingly rebuilt, drawing on the love of the people and the strength of Coronan community. 

Her feet led her to Feldspar’s shop almost without a second thought. She’d been here many times before--in fact, Feldspar had made the boots she was wearing presently. There was much to be said about Feldspar, but he was a good cobbler, that was certain. Despite the soles giving way, the boots had otherwise held up fantastically, considering her heavy usage of them during her travels. 

Cassandra shook her head, gathering her courage, and took the plunge through the door. Feldspar was sat at his workbench, surrounded by shoes of all sort, and working on yet another pair. He glanced up briefly, not seeming to really take anything in, and then looked back down at his work.

“Hi, how may I help you?” he asked, hammering away at the shoes. 

“Uhhh…” Cassandra spoke, “I was wondering if you could fix the soles on my shoes?”

“Sure sweetie,” he said, still not looking up from his work. “Take a seat and get them off. I’ll be over in a minute, just gotta get this shoe right...”

“Oh--okay,” Cassandra sputtered, sitting down, and taking off her shoes as he asked. Her breaths were short and her hands shaky as she attempted to unlace the boots. Feldspar certainly knew who she was, but obviously hadn’t registered that it was her in his shop.

He hammered the bottom of the shoe he was working on a few more times, and then stood up. Finally, he raised his eyes to meet hers, and what little color he had seemed to immediately drain from his face. 

“Oh,” he spoke after a moment’s pause, “hello, Cassandra.”

“Hi, Feldspar…” she replied meekly. “I just need, uh, new soles on my boots.”

“Right,” Feldspar replied, his pale face shining with concern. “Yeah, I can, uh, do that. Give me your...shoes.” 

“Okay,” Cass spoke tersely, taking off her boots and handing them to him. “Here you go. Uh, listen, Feldspar--about, you know--I’m, uh, I’m sorry.”

He stared at her blankly, as if unable to process her admittedly jaded apology. “Yeah,” he sighed after a long moment, “my shop was destroyed by the...rocks, as was my house.” He took the boots from her hands. “I’m not going to waste my energy thinking about it. All is well now. We’re back in business, thanks to our rulers’ graciousness.”

“Um, yeah.” Cass twiddled her thumbs awkwardly. “Do you want me to, uh, go and come back?”

Feldspar scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous, child,” he dismissed. “You don’t even have shoes on. This should only take a moment anyway.”

“Right, okay, yeah.” Cassandra looked down at the floor, staring at her black socks, and wishing that this encounter would be over sooner rather than later. 

As Feldspar tore off the old soles and began to hammer on new ones, Cassandra bounced her leg anxiously. Come on, Cass, she thought to herself, why didn’t you bring a book or something? She shook her head, and buried her face in her hands, staying like that until she heard Feldspar call her name.

“Cassandra. CASSANDRA.” 

Cass jolted upright suddenly, realizing she must have fallen into some type of sleep. Christ, how tired was she? Oh well. Better than staring at the floor awkwardly, she supposed. 

“Your shoes,” he said, all but throwing the shoes at her feet. “Try them on.” 

With shaky hands, Cass put on and laced up the boots. She glanced up awkwardly at an expectant Feldspar, and tried her best to smile. “Thanks, Feldspar. They’re great, like always.”

“Yeah, well,” he shrugged, “I’m not the cobbler for no reason. That’ll be fifteen gold pieces.”

Fifteen gold pieces seemed a bit on the high end for a shoe repair, but Cass didn’t complain. She simply dug out the money he requested, as well as two silver pieces as a tip, and handed it to the cobbler. 

“Okay, I’ll be...going now. Thank you for the shoes. Have a good day.” 

“You’re welcome.” Feldspar paused, and Cass began to make her way towards the door. “You know, most of us are pretty mad at you still. But we won’t be forever, probably. I mean, we forgave that Varian kid. I used to want to punt him every time he came through my doors. Not anymore...for the most part.”

“Right,” Cassandra replied. “Uh, that’s...reassuring. Thank you for the shoes.”

“It’s my job.”

She stepped out, exhaling a deep breath as she did so. It could have gone worse, right? 

Next, Cassandra made her way to Monty’s Sweet Shoppe and Atilla the Bun. As awkward as that interaction was, it was better to get the news of her return out there, and besides, she hadn’t had anything to eat all day. 

The sweet shoppe and bakery combo was not too far from the cobbler. As she made her way closer and closer, the sugary aromas of all different kinds of candies and baked goods wafted towards her nose. Her stomach began to growl, and she questioned how she could possibly be hungry after all the food she’d gorged herself on last night. 

Her nerves weren’t as strong as she approached the door of Monty’s Sweet Shoppe and Atilla the Bun. This, she rationalized, was because she’d always been at least incrementally friendlier with Monty and Atilla than with Feldspar. She pushed open the door, this time with no hesitation, and it was as if she had returned home. Her eyes soaked in all of the chocolate, candies, lollipops, gummies, cupcakes, and pastries about her. Monty looked up from the counter, and this time, she was met with a warm smile. 

“Cassandra!” bellowed Monty. “Why, my dear, it’s good to see we’re back to our old self, yes?”

“Uncle Monty,” she smiled, “yes, I am. No more scary blue Cass.”

“Why, that is good to hear, dear. You know, I just knew you would come around. I watched you grow up, after all--you get to know a person, selling them candy their whole life.” 

Cassandra nodded. “You sure do. Thanks for the warm welcome, Uncle Monty. Where’s Atilla?”

“Oh, he’s in the back baking,” Monty responded. “I’ll tell him you’re here.”

Cassandra started to interject, but before she could, Monty was screaming towards the kitchen. “Oh Atilla,” he called, “Cassandra is here!”

Atilla poked his helmeted head out from behind the kitchen door. “Oh, hello, Cassandra,” his voice echoed through the helmet. “Good to see you. Want a bimberry butternut? On me.”

“Oh, I couldn’t,” she replied, “but thank you.”

“Nonsense!” Monty called out, shoving a pastry in her hand. “Now, what else can I help you with, dear?”

“Thank you, Atilla,” Cass said, before watching Atilla disappear behind the bakery door once more. “Well, Uncle Monty, I could spend anywhere from three to five gold pieces. What would you recommend?”

“I think I’d recommend a bit of everything...and some butternuts for good measure. Usually it’d cost maybe eight pieces, but I’ll charge you four, as a bit of a homecoming present!” 

“Oh, you don’t have to do that, Uncle Monty,” Cass chuckled. “I’ll pay the eight, no problem.”

“We insist, dear,” he replied, beginning to stuff a cloth bag with a sample of every treat in the candy store. “It’s not every day you get to see an old friend. Will I see your face around here more often, or are you just visiting Corona?”

“I haven’t decided yet, honestly,” admitted Cassandra. “It could go one way or another, but I missed it here.”

“There’s no place quite like Corona, dear,” Monty said, wrapping the top of the bag up into a knot, and handing it to Cass. 

“And there’s no candy quite like yours. Thanks, Monty.”

“Of course,” he responded, “but don’t forget the butternuts!” He handed her a neatly wrapped package of 3 bimberry butternuts.

“Oh, I could never,” Cass smiled. She dug 8 gold pieces out of her changepurse and placed them in Monty’s hand. “I insist. Thank you for the candy, Uncle Monty! I’ll see you around.”

“Anytime, dear,” Monty grinned. “I can’t speak for everyone in Corona, but I do hope you stay a while.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Cass laughed. “Bye Atilla! Bye Uncle Monty!” Cass threw a wave over her shoulder, and left the shop behind her. 

She tucked the bag of candy and 3 of the butternuts into her satchel, munching on the 4th butternut that Atilla had given her for free. Her heart was full, and her stomach soon would be, too. Although the interaction with Feldspar had been all but pleasant, she’d received a warmer welcome than she expected at Monty and Atilla’s. When Cassandra arrived back at the castle’s gates, she was in an unusually happy mood. 

“Gentlemen,” she exclaimed as she passed the guards once more, this time enthusiastic. They responded with the same monotone nod. 

Cassandra didn’t care. For the first time in five years, the demonic guilt she carried was not looming over her shoulder. For the first time in five years, Cassandra felt free.


	10. Ladies Day--Pt. 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello, party people! So, I was going to publish this as one chapter, but the first half was already 4,000 words (which is longer than any other chapter so far), so I decided to split it up into two parts! I hope y'all enjoy--please lemme know what you think! As always, stay safe, stay healthy, stay inside, read some fic, watch some Tangled, and don't forget to wash your hands! Much love and thank you so much for reading <3

Cassandra could hardly sleep past six o’ clock in the morning the next day. Try as she might to get an extra two hour’s rest before getting ready for ‘ladies day’, she couldn’t find any sleep once her eyes flit open during those early morning hours. 

By quarter past six , Cassandra had given up on chasing sleep--groaning, she rolled over and sat up, her feet dangling slightly off of the edge of her bed. She yawned, stretched out her back, and rubbed her eyes, grateful for another good night’s rest in Corona. If she did choose to leave and go back out on the road rather than stay, the one thing she’d miss most besides Rapunzel was a good old Coronan mattress. 

“Come on, Cass,” she sighed aloud, “why couldn’t you stay asleep? You know these three hours of waiting are going to be so long.” 

She was beyond excited for a day alone with Rapunzel. Rapunzel hadn’t promised that Eugene wouldn’t be there, but it was implied...unless Eugene was a lady now. Cassandra laughed, imagining how defensive her old friend would get at that insinuation. 

Since there was nothing better to do, Cassandra took a quick shower before getting dressed for the day. She looked through the new linens provided for her once more, and noticed she was running low--only two pair of pants and two shirts remained. Cass groaned to herself. She’d either have to buy new clothing or do laundry.

Gross.

She settled on a navy blue, long sleeved shirt with a cream trim, another pair of black pants, and black socks. Rapunzel had obviously had Cassandra’s tastes in mind when she sent for this clothing, because three of the four pairs of pants were black, and the fourth was a dark brown.

Once she was dressed, she sat cross legged on her bed, and pulled her satchel from her bedside once more. She rummaged around until her hands found the bimberry butternuts. She’d treated herself to just one yesterday, and had some candy as well--now, she took another of the three she had left. “For breakfast,” she laughed. The other two were for later, she planned to surprise Rapunzel with a treat at some point. That girl sure did love Atilla’s bimberry butternuts, and Atilla sure did bake a mean pastry. 

By the time she was showered, dressed and finished eating, the clock read quarter to seven. Cassandra flopped back on her bed, exasperated. The time she’d spend waiting for Rapunzel would crawl, and she knew that. 

Instead of moping around in the early-morning hours and missing Raps, she decided she’d take Fidella out for a ride. Although she was sure Rapunzel would want to go riding later, a little exercise for Fidella never hurt. Although Cass felt a little bad about not visiting her in the barn just yet, she knew Fidella and Max were probably having a grand old time catching up. The guard kept the horses well fed and well groomed, and it had only been two days, after all. 

Cassandra laced up her boots, and made her way outside the castle to the royal stables. It would be nice to see Maximus, too, as she hadn’t visited him since her return either. 

She gently creaked open the barn door and took a few tentative steps in, careful not to wake any sleeping horses. Some of them were asleep, but most were already up, grazing on their morning hay.

She found her way over to Maximus’ stall first. He was absentmindedly munching at his hay, and she watched him affectionately for a moment, before calling his name.

“Max? It’s Cass.”

When he looked up from the hay, Maximus’ face seemed to turn from one of confusion to one of glee. He began trotting in place, and neighing loud enough to wake up the entire kingdom.

“Quiet, Max,” Cass laughed, moving towards the horse and stroking his long, white neck. “I missed you too, but it’s seven o’ clock in the morning.”

Max let out a resigned neigh of understanding, but his eyes shone nonetheless. Maximus and Cassandra had a strong, resilient bond--he was the Captain's horse, yes, but the Captain before Eugene had been none other than her father. She’d known him since he was but a colt, and she could remember the day her father first brought her to the barn to see him.

Max began to sniff, his nose moving closer and closer to her satchel. “Sorry, Max, I don’t have any apples with me.” She felt a twinge of regret for not bringing some as the horse’s ears drooped. “Do you like caramel? You can have that, right?” 

Max neighed enthusiastically and nodded his head up and down. “Okay,” Cass laughed, “well, I have some of that.” Cassandra dug her hand into her satchel, drawing out a piece of caramel hard candy that Monty had given her. She unwrapped it and placed it in the palm of her outstretched hand, from which Max happily ate. 

“Okay, Max,” she said, reaching out to stroke the horse’s head, “I’m gonna take Fidella out for a ride for a bit, okay?” Max nickered in protest, but Cass shook her head. “She was with me on the road for five years, Max, and I haven’t been back down to visit her since we got here. I’ll take you out later, maybe sometime this week? Besides, me and Raps are having a ladies day today. Maybe we’ll steal you from Eugene for a ride out to the wall.” 

To that, Max nickered his approval, and Cassandra gave him one last pat before heading over to Fidella’s stall. “Hey, Fidella,” she said, calling the attention of the horse who was idly drinking her water. “Wanna go for a ride?” 

Fidella neighed happily, and Cassandra opened the gate to her stall. “Good girl,” she cooed, “I’m sorry for not visiting you sooner. Let’s get going.”

Cassandra walked Fidella out to the gate of the castle, and then mounted her. As much as Cass loved a good gallop early in the morning, wind flying through her hair and a cool breeze on her face, she decided a pleasant trot was good for this morning. After all, if Rapunzel wanted to ride their horses out to the wall, it’d more than likely be a race. Max is a worthy opponent, so Fidella would need her energy. 

The pair trotted all over Corona for a little over an hour, taking in the fresh island air and beautiful scenery. The more time Cassandra spent in Corona, the more she realized how much she’d missed and loved her home. Of course, Rapunzel was the driving factor that brought her back here, but she’d loved Corona long before Raps was a thought in her mind. The cobbled streets, cool water, and island breezes of Corona had raised her. She spent her childhood running about the castle, and indeed about the whole town. She took early morning rides out to the walls with Max long before either of them had heard of a young man named Eugene, or known a young woman named Rapunzel. 

Corona was her home, through and through. At one time, she may have forgotten that, but on this early morning ride it was more evident to her now than ever. The older Cassandra got and the more time she’d spent on the road, the more and more she’d longed for a place to belong, and for a destiny. Maybe Corona had been that all along. Maybe this was where she belonged. Maybe this kingdom was her destiny. 

She couldn’t be sure, but the early morning wind seemed to whisper in her ear that she was correct. 

Before long, Cass and Fidella made their way back to the castle. She returned Fidella to her stall in the stable, and then returned to her room herself.

By the time she’d returned to her room, the clock on Cass’ wall read quarter to nine--perfect. She wouldn’t have to wait much longer to see Rapunzel, thankfully. She couldn’t last much longer, she reckoned to herself, before she would burst at the seams with anticipation. 

A whole day with Rapunzel. After five years, she’d have a whole day with Rapunzel.

Sure, a day may not be enough, really. Sure, Cassandra would much prefer a lifetime spent by Rapunzel’s side--but that was Eugene’s role. A day with her would be enough. It'd have to be. 

As if on cue, there was a knocking at Cassandra’s bedroom door.

“Cass?” Rapunzel called. “Are you up?”

“You bet, I’ve been up since six. I told you yesterday was a rarity”, Cass laughed. “Come in.” 

Rapunzel obliged, stepping through Cass’ doorway with a spring in her step. “Well, good morning,” Rapunzel beamed, “are you ready for ladies’ day?”

“I’ve never been more ready for one of your crazy days in my life,” poked Cass. “What’s on the agenda?”

“First is breakfast. You know I usually eat meals with Eugene and my parents, but I excused myself from that for today. Eugene should have fun spending time with my parents on his own.” 

“Yeah,” Cass snorted, “so much fun. Are him and your dad getting along well these days?”

“Oh, better than ever. He’s a proud father-in-law,” beamed Rapunzel. “Anyway, after breakfast, I figured we could go for a walk about town, get you readjusted to being in Corona. Did you end up leaving your room at all yesterday?”

“I did, actually,” Cass responded, gesturing to her shoes. “I went to Feldspar and got my boots fixed.”

“Oh, good!” Rapunzel exclaimed. “I’m glad you didn’t hide from the world all day, Cass. Anyway, after our stroll, I’d like to paint you, if that’s okay. Then I thought we could take a picnic out to the wall, you know, ride Fidella and Max like old times.” 

“That sounds great,” smiled Cassandra. “Anything else up your sleeve?” 

“We’ll have dinner too, and I want to take a canoe out tonight. I wanted to leave us a few hours to just sit and chat, though, wherever you’d want to do that. Could be out on the wall, my room, your room, anywhere, really.” 

“Perfect." Cassandra paused. "Hey Raps, can we drink?"

Rapunzel clicked her tongue and shook her head. "Somebody's become fond of drinking on the road, huh? Sure, I can send for some rum at dinner."

"I mean, I am fond of drinking, but it's more so that I want to see you actually drunk."

"Is that a challenge?" Rapunzel inquired. 

"Maybe, maybe not," Cass grinned. 

"Well, 9 o' clock in the morning is too early to drink, so let's save that for later and go have some breakfast. I'm starving." 

After Cassandra had grabbed her satchel, Rapunzel led the way through the castle to one of the many terrace balconies. On the balcony was a quaint, metal, outdoor dining table and two equally quaint chairs. Each of the plates was heaped high with eggs, sausage, bacon, and some pancakes. Above the plates sat two glasses--one with water, and the other with rich orange juice. 

"Wow, Raps," Cass grinned, taking in the lovely breakfast laid out just for the two of them, "this looks amazing."

"It does," Rapunzel said, patting her stomach. "Let's eat!"

The pair sat down across from each other, and filled their stomachs with the scrumptious breakfast food. 

"Mmm," Cass mumbled through a mouthful of pancakes, "I missed Coronan food. So much better than slop on the road. How did I ever leave?"

Rapunzel swallowed her mouthful and laughed. "Manners, Cass," she chided, "but we do have some awesome food, don't we?"

"Oh, fuck manners," Cass mumbled once more, this time through a mouthful of eggs. "This food is too good."

Rapunzel shook her head, a sly, entertained smile spreading across her face. The girls ate the rest of their meal in pleasant silence, and Cass downed the entire glass of water once she'd finished her plate. Once the two of them had finished, a servant came over to collect the dishes. 

"Thank you," Cass nodded to the servant, who she did not recognize. She then turned her attention to Rapunzel. "I know, I know, I'm a mess…but you should see what I had to eat sometimes out there just to survive. Coronan food is like a trip to heaven."

Rapunzel shook her head disdainfully once more, but her bright eyes shone with amusement. "You are something else, Cass," she chuckled. “Are we ready for our stroll?”

“Yes, I am. Where are we going?”

“Oh, I don't know. I wanted to see if the vendors have anything nice out, and maybe visit the Sweet Shoppe?”

“I was there yesterday, but I can never say no to more candy,” admitted Cassandra. 

“Right,” Rapunzel smiled, “let’s get going, then.” 

The pair made their way through the castle, and to the front gates. This time, when Cassandra looked out upon the now bustling town streets, she felt no fear or apprehension. Perhaps this was due to having Rapunzel by her side--or perhaps it was due to her trip beyond the castle walls yesterday, which had gone much better than she’d expected. Either way, when she looked out at the tan-cobbled roads and the houses lining them, she felt at peace, with not even a small drop of anxiety turning over her stomach. 

The first vendor that the pair approached was selling apples, the crisp, red treat fit for humans and horses alike. 

“Hello, Your Majesty,” the vendor, who Cass didn’t know the name of, chirped towards Rapunzel. “And Her Majesty’s friend.” 

“Hi, James,” Rapunzel smiled, digging 6 gold coins out of her purse and handing them to the vendor. “Let me have 10 apples, please.” 

“Of course, Princess,” he responded, happily obliging Rapunzel. He wrapped the apples in a thin sheet of cloth, and handed them to her. Rapunzel accepted the apples, smiling, and tucked them in her bag. 

“Thank you!” 

As the girls were walking away from the vendor, Rapunzel turned to address Cass.

“We have about a billion apples for the horses in the stockroom at the castle, but I like to support the vendors when I can.” 

The two continued to wander the streets of Corona, stopping at vendor’s carts, and with Rapunzel greeting nearly every citizen she saw by name. It was impressive, Cass thought--she could hardly remember the names of all of her colleagues when she had worked in the castle. Raps must have a memory of gold. 

Rapunzel stopped in her tracks in front of a jewelry cart. She reached her hand out gingerly, and picked up two necklaces. Suspended on a thin silver chain, one necklace had a bright yellow gem, similar to the golden of Rapunzel’s old hair. The other necklace was also suspended on a thin chain, though its chain was colored black, and the gem hanging from it was a dazzling sky blue. Turning, Rapunzel held up the necklaces for Cass to see.

“Cass,” she gasped, “aren’t they just beautiful?”

“They are,” Cass grinned, gently taking the gems in her hand to examine them. “They’re gorgeous.”

“That decides it, then,” Rapunzel smirked, turning back to face the vendor. “Samantha, how much for the two of them?”

“Oh no, Your Majesty,” Samantha shook her head, “the honor of you adorning my work is payment enough.”

“Nonsense.” Rapunzel dug her hand into her small bag, pulling out her changepurse. “That’s so kind of you, but they’re too pretty for us not to pay.” 

“Okay,” Samantha smiled, “how about ten gold pieces, Your Highness?”

Rapunzel dug around in her bulging changepurse, and counted out twenty gold pieces. “You’re selling yourself short, Samantha,” she said as she tucked the gold into the vendor’s hand. 

Samantha gazed into her palm, and a look of joy spread over her face. “You’re too generous, Your Highness.”

“Please, Samantha, call me Rapunzel.”

Raps waved goodbye to Samantha as they walked away from the cart, and began to examine the necklaces in her hand once more. 

“Ten pieces,” she shook her head, “for these gorgeous works of art! Can you believe it?” 

“Hardly,” Cass laughed. “They’d probably be at least eight a piece for anybody but you.”

“True. That’s why I paid twenty. I get a hefty allowance for being the Princess, and as you know, the Captain’s salary isn’t too shabby either--so it’s only fair that Eugene and I spend our money on the citizens of the kingdom.” 

“That makes sense.” 

“Yeah! Now, let’s get these on. I want you to take the yellow, and I’ll take the blue.”

Cassandra laughed. “You’re slick, but it’s cute.”

Cassandra took notice of a slight blush spreading over Rapunzel’s face. “Okay, so it might be a little symbolic,” she shrugged. “This way, though, if you don’t choose to stay...we’ll always have these to remember each other by. Even if you do, it’ll be nice for when our work keeps us apart.” 

A pang hit Cass’ chest like a hammer, and butterflies spread in her stomach. “Okay, Raps,” she smiled. “I like that.” 

“Here, Cass, hold up your hair.”

Cassandra did as she was told, and chills ran down her spine as Rapunzel’s small hands wrapped the jewelry about her neck. There was a slight click as Rapunzel fastened the necklace’s clasp. The chain was longer than her necklace from Varian, and the jewel sat comfortably below the Cassandrium that had been strung on her other necklace. 

“Now my turn,” Rapunzel said, handing Cass the blue necklace and pulling up her short cropped brown hair. With shaking hands, Cassandra returned the favor, clasping the necklace’s black chain behind Rapunzel’s dainty neck. 

“Perfect.” A grin spread across Rapunzel’s face. “Now, do you want to visit the Sweet Shoppe?”

“No, no, that’s okay. You’ve spent enough money on me today, and I have some candy already.” Cassandra reached into her satchel and reached for the cloth bag filled with candy. “Chocolate, caramel, or peppermint?” 

“Hmmm....chocolate!”

Obligingly, Cassandra pulled out a peppermint for herself, and a chocolate for Rapunzel. The two unwrapped the candies, and popped them in their mouths. 

“Mmm, so good! Thanks, Cass. You know, I have some choice words about...Mr. Monty, but his candy is beyond amazing.” 

Cassandra laughed. “That’s for sure. There’s nothing like Monty’s candy, anywhere in the world. Trust me.” 

“I believe you. Okay, Cass, are you ready to head on back to the castle, then? I still want to paint you!”

“Sounds good to me.”

Shortly, the two women were back to the castle, and had made it to Rapunzel’s bedroom. Rapunzel instructed Cass to take a seat on a spare stool in her room, pulled out her paints, and set up her easel. 

“Okay, so what are you thinking?” Rapunzel asked, leaning her weight on her left foot and twirling her paintbrush in her hand. 

Cass laughed. “I don’t know, you’re the artist. You wanted to paint me, Raps.”

“I know, I know. Okay, well, here goes.”

Cassandra sat patiently, straight-faced, as Rapunzel worked at her painting. She dabbed her paintbrush in a menagerie of colors, moving her brush elegantly back and forth along the canvas. Her eyes darted from the canvas, back to Cass, back to the canvas, until she leaned back with a satisfied look on her face.

“Finished! Wanna see?” 

“Of course,” Cass responded, and Rapunzel turned the canvas round for her to see. Cass’ eyes met with a painting of her and Rapunzel, foreheads pressed together, and hands clasped tight. Rapunzel’s cheek was streaked with a bright blue tear, her brown cropped hair messy, and a wide smile on her face. Cassandra’s face was much similar, aside from the tear, which she supposed Rapunzel excluded as not to embarrass her. Across the top, written in dark blue paint, read ‘Together at Last’. Cass was almost at a loss for words--the painting stirred up an emotion so deep within her, she could hardly even understand what she was feeling.

“Rapunzel...I love it.” 

“Well, thank you,” beamed Rapunzel. “It’s, you know…” 

“You missed me, huh?” Cassandra teased. 

“I sure did.” 

“I missed you too, Raps. It’s lovely.” 

Rapunzel set the painting down on the easel and plopped down on her bed, gesturing for Cass to sit beside her. Cass obliged, sitting cross-legged on the bed to face Rapunzel.

“You know, Cass,” she began, “I need to talk to you about something.”

“Oh. Go ahead.”

“It’s just...I don’t mean to sound greedy here, Cass. But I’ve been thinking, and…” Rapunzel paused, her green eyes suddenly becoming glossy. “Cass, please don’t leave.” 

“What do you mean?”

“The kingdom, Cass, please don’t leave again. I need you here with me. It may be greedy, God, it probably is, but...I missed you, so much. I was a mess without you here. You’re my best friend.” Rapunzel raised her hand to touch her necklace. “It was like a piece of me was missing, Cass. If your destiny is out there, I don’t want to stop you from it. But if it’s not, if you haven’t found it...maybe you belong here. With me.” 

Cassandra pursed her lips, trying to fight back the tears that were so persistently trying to crawl out of her eyes. For someone who hated to show her emotions, these past few days sure had been bringing up a lot of them. 

“Do you really think so, Rapunzel?” 

“I don’t know. I can’t tell you your destiny, Cass, and if your destiny is out there, go find it. Please. What I do know is...I hate to bring this up, but those few months where you were--you know--were some of the hardest months of my life. Not having you here with me was the worst feeling in the world. More than once, I just laid on your bed, hugged your headdress, and cried.” She paused. “Honestly, it hasn’t been much different these past five years. Obviously, I was happy for you, and your choice to find your own way. And of course, I’m happy here, for the most part...I have everything I could ever want. I mean, I’m royalty. I live a comfortable life, Cass, I’m not implying that I don’t, and I am happy most of the time. Eugene is amazing, and my friends are too, but you’re different, Cass. I don’t know what else to say, or how to put it into words...but when you’re not with me, when you’re not here, it’s as if there’s this pit in my stomach. I’ll just be going about my day, and all that I can think about is...you. I missed your smile, and your laugh, and it was like--nevermind. Just, if it’s all the same to you, I think I need you here. With me.” 

“Rapunzel…” 

“I’m sorry, Cass, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything, really, I--” 

“No. I’m sorry. I’ll stay.”

Rapunzel’s tear-lined eyes flit up to meet Cassandra’s, sending Cassandra’s stomach into a fit of butterflies. “Really, Cass?”

“Yes. Really.” Cassandra paused, and reached out to set a hand on Rapunzel’s knee. “You know I’m not a very...open person, Raps, but you should know that I missed you just as much, if not even more. Out there, sure, I was free, but I had nobody, and you were the only thing ever on my mind. You’re why I came back. I was petrified of returning after all the damage that I caused, but I did. That was for you, and you alone.”

“Cass, thank you. Thank you for being brave enough to come back.”

“Thank you for being brave enough to save me.” 

Rapunzel grabbed Cass’ hand from her knee and squeezed it tight. “I would have done whatever it took, Cass. I would have done anything.” 

The pair sat there for a moment, reveling in each other’s company, and in the feeling of togetherness. Cassandra’s heart was racing, her stomach churning with the strength of a thousand seas. Never in a million years would she have guessed she meant so much to Rapunzel. In fact, it was even starting to sound like…

No, Cassandra, she chided herself. That love is not for you. Don’t get your hopes up.

“Okay,” Rapunzel chimed, pulling Cass from her thoughts. “Well, that was...emotional. How does lunch sound?”

A grin spread across Cassandra’s face. “Lunch sounds wonderful.”


	11. Ladies Day--Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello, party people! Here it is... ~ladies day~ part two! I have been working on this all day, I hope you enjoy. Just as an FYI, I work from home on the weekdays, so won't be able to update my fic as aggressively, but I am aiming for at least one update this week and more to come on the weekend. Thank you for reading and as always...stay safe, stay healthy, stay inside, read some fic, watch some Tangled, and don't forget to wash your hands! Much love <3

The pair packed a hearty lunch--roast beef and cheese sandwiches, apples, some jerky, and a flask of water--before heading on the road. Rapunzel had already arranged for Max to be back in the stables around lunchtime, so the two simply grabbed their horses from the stable, and made their way to the wall.

The ride to the wall was, of course, a race--Cassandra took her turn riding Max, and Rapunzel rode Fidella. 

“Ready, Cass?” Rapunzel grinned devilishly when the pair had made their way to the foot of the bridge--the race always started there, as not to disturb the citizens walking around the main part of town.

“Oh, of course.” Cass readjusted her position on Max’s saddle. “You’re gonna lose so hard. Right, Max?” 

Max raised his head in a neigh of agreement, and Rapunzel shook hers. 

“We’ll see about that.” She too readjusted her position, before starting to count down. “Three...two...one...go!” 

As the last word left Rapunzel’s mouth, both horses took off flying. Fidella had a slight edge at first, but it wasn’t long before Max took the lead, only for Fidella to steal it again. Cass gave Max a reassuring pat, and she felt his strong frame somehow begin moving faster beneath her. As the wind blasted through her hair and onto her face, she glanced over to see how Rapunzel was doing. She was just slightly behind Cass, and she looked enthralled--her mouth was curved into a wide grin, while her hair was also whipped around by the velocity at which they were traveling. 

The pair came up on the creek--a telltale sign that they were getting close to the wall--and the pair of horses leapt elegantly, nearly in tandem, over the shallow blue waters. They continued trading off the lead for just mere seconds, until the wall was in sight. Max then seemed to use all of his energy in a burst of speed, getting Cassandra to the wall a millisecond before Rapunzel.

“Ha!” Cass heaved a deep breath in, and sat up straight on Max’s back. “I win!”

“Yeah, yeah.” Rapunzel rolled her eyes teasingly. “That’s subjective.” 

“Oh, whatever,” Cass laughed, turning her attention to the wall that towered in front of her. “So, Max, wanna give me a boost?” 

“You too, Fidella,” Rapunzel chimed, “but not before your treat!” She reached into her bag and tossed three apples on the ground in front of each horse. “You two did wonderfully. It’s nice to have you back, Fidella!” 

Fidella and Max neighed contentedly, and scarfed down their apples. They then leaned their hoofs up on the wall, using their heads to boost Cass and Rapunzel all the way up to the tippy top. Cass lost her breath as she gazed out at the expansive world before them--she’d forgotten how beautiful everything looked from the top of the Coronan wall. The mountainous landscape was dotted with proud green trees, their leaves just beginning to turn at the first sign of autumn. Crystal clear rivers and creeks snaked back and forth along the landscape, twisting and turning at every change in the topography. Beautiful autumnal flowers of pink, red, white, purple, orange, yellow, and blue dotted the meadows as far as the eye could see. Gazing out into the vast wilderness, Cassandra’s heart was at peace.

Rapunzel plopped down on the wall, cross legged, and pulled out the two sandwiches as well as the flask of water. She poured some in her mouth before handing it to Cassandra who, in turn, did the same. 

“It’s so beautiful,” Rapunzel sighed, her eyes darting back and forth from the wilderness on the horizon to the silhouette of the castle, peeking out over the dense Coronan forest. 

“It sure is,” Cass replied, sitting down across from Rapunzel in the same cross-legged position. She reached her hand out for a sandwich, and Rapunzel obliged. 

“Are you gonna miss it out there, Cass?” Rapunzel took a bite of her sandwich, staring wistfully out onto the horizon. 

“I mean, a little, I guess.” Cassandra shrugged. “It’s beautiful, there’s no denying that, and the feeling of freedom...but, when we weren’t traveling together, it was lonely. I never stayed in one place more than a month, and no-one really knew my name.” She paused. “The food was horrible, and sometimes I slept on nothing but the cold, hard ground--but you know that part. We’ve been there.” She let out a chuckle. “I’d only want to go back out there if I could go with you, if I’m being honest. Do you miss it, Rapunzel?”

Rapunzel took a moment to consider her response. “I do, to some extent. I mean, it’s weird, isn’t it? The first eighteen years of my life...I was locked away in a tower, and my life was, well, uneventful. And then, as if the fates wanted it to happen, Eugene just climbed up into my tower. From there, my life just got crazier and crazier, until one day it just...stopped. There’s no more adventure, no more life-threatening escapades to be had. In some ways, that’s nice, sure, and I’m happy with the life that I live. But in others…” She paused, heaving a gentle sigh. “In some ways, yeah. I do miss it.” 

“That’s understandable.” Cass shook her head. “We’re getting old, aren’t we, Raps?”

Rapunzel let out a chuckle. “Maybe you’re getting old,” she jested, “but not me. I still have a few years left in me before I even hit thirty, so…”

“Yeah,” Cassandra huffed, “I have less than one, and I don’t even know what my purpose is.” 

“You’ll figure it out, Cass.” 

“I hope.” 

The two women sat in silence for a beat, and Rapunzel dangled her feet out over the side of the wall that faced away from the kingdom, kicking them back and forth and leaning back on her hands. Cassandra followed suit, scooting herself a little close to Rapunzel in the process. 

“Cassandra, I’m so glad you were assigned to be my lady-in-waiting. I mean, it could have been anyone, really, but my parents chose you. I think they knew what they were doing.” 

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, pairing the happy go lucky, bubbly, free spirited, flower-child princess with the dark, moody, loner, by the books, badass Coronan warrior girl.” She let out a chuckle. “You changed me in many ways, Cass, and for the better. I think they knew we wouldn’t take to each other immediately--or rather, that you wouldn’t take to me immediately. I pretty much take to everybody, don’t I?”

Cassandra laughed. “You sure do, Raps.” 

“But you’re basically the opposite, and you taught me a lot. You taught me patience, and you taught me that sometimes, the best things don’t just fall into your lap--you have to work for them. I know I’ve told you this before, but the first time I heard you laugh was one of the happiest moments of my life, like music to my ears. I knew I’d finally cracked you, and I just knew we were going to go on to be the best of friends.”

“I’m a little hard to crack sometimes,” admitted Cassandra, “but I’m sure glad you figured out how to crack me.” She paused, breathing in a slight breath. “You know, Rapunzel, we certainly have one thing in common. I didn’t have a best friend, or any friends, really, before you. I mean, I was on good terms with some of the guards, but they all saw me as their weird little sister. It makes sense...they watched me grow up, and I was pretty much the only girl in the entire kingdom who was longing to be a guard. I guess my...gender made them look down on me, to some extent. Of course, I had my father, and he knew that I was capable, but no matter how old I get, I know he’ll always think of me as that baby girl he rescued from the clutches of evil some twenty-five years ago now. At least, somewhat. He says he doesn’t see me as that anymore, but doesn’t every parent think of their child as a babe in arms? I love him, but he can be a bit of a hard ass. Especially as a dad, when I was younger. He wanted me to be strong, he wanted me to be prepared for the trials and tribulations of life. Life is hard, so sometimes he had to be hard on me.” She took another bite of her sandwich and swallowed, inching just a bit closer to Rapunzel. “But then you came into my life. God, I hated you at first, I really did. I didn’t understand how you could be so happy and friendly all the time. I never had anyone who tried to make me smile, or tried to make me laugh, or just wanted to...spend time with me, and be my friend. Most of all, I didn’t understand why anyone would want to try to get through to me. I was mean, and cold, and distant, on purpose. Even though I didn’t remember Gothel leaving me until I met Zhan Tiri, I guess I had some subconscious abandonment issues. I didn’t want to let anyone in. You were the first person to try to get through to me...even if some of your actions were misguided, on occasion.” 

“Misguided is a good word to use,” Rapunzel chuckled. “I didn’t understand you at first, either, Cass. I knew I wanted you to be my friend, though, and now you’re my dearest friend. So, I won.” A devilish smile spread across Rapunzel’s freckled face.

“Yeah,” Cass laughed, “you sure did.” 

“Hey, want an apple?” Rapunzel reached into her bag and pulled out two shiny red apples, reaching out to hand one to Cass.

“You bet.” She bit into the crisp red skin, and savored the sweet flavor as it seeped into her mouth. “God, apples are literally just earth candy.”

Rapunzel let out a chuckle. “They really are. They were my favorite fruit for a long, long time.” 

“So,” Cassandra sighed, “anything else you need to catch me up on? Has everything really been just...calm?”

Rapunzel nodded her head. “For the most part. I always have this feeling in my stomach that something else is on the horizon--but I can’t place quite what. It just feels like this isn’t the end of our story, like it isn’t the end of our adventure.”

“Maybe it’s not. I think adventures can take many different forms, though, Rapunzel. Certainly, they can’t all be life threatening. One can only dodge death so many times, Raps. I’ve already died once.” Cass laughed. “Eugene, too. Thanks for that, by the way, saving us, I mean. Maybe it’s good we’re not taking any more chances, you know?” 

“Maybe,” Rapunzel admitted. “You’ve mellowed out quite a bit, Cass.”

“What do you mean?” 

“Before, you were always about...fighting, and danger, and taking chances, and all of that. That’s partially why I was so worried, when you were on the road. You’re capable, of course, but we’ve both been in quite a few situations we didn’t think we’d make it out of.”

“Don’t get me wrong,” Cass grinned, “I still am that ‘badass Coronan warrior girl’ you were talking about earlier. Don’t think I’ve softened, now, Raps. Before, I was young, I was spirited, I was stupid, I was naive. I went looking for danger even when there was no cause to. I’ve come to realize, though, that there are things in life worth living for besides the action and danger, and that it’s stupid to throw yourself in the fray when it’s not necessary. Our adventures, they were necessary--but now you’ve completed the dangerous part of your destiny, and there’s no...big, impending doom anymore. Honestly, it’s kind of boring, but if it means that we get to live another day, it’s probably for the best.” 

“Maybe you’re right,” Rapunzel sighed. “When I was a kid locked in the tower, the one thing I daydreamed of--besides the lanterns--was going on these big, extravagant adventures. I mean, when you’ve been trapped in the same tiny tower your whole life, all you want is to be free. I got that. Everything worked out in my favor, and it continues to. I’ve been so blessed, and yet still, my heart yearns for more. And I don’t even know what that ‘more’ is.” 

“I feel that way, too. The only thing holding me back before was my own attitude. I was at war with myself, Raps. I’m trying to be...kinder, more open. It’s hard, because I just naturally bottle things up. I always dealt with shit on my own, because who did I have to turn to?” Cassandra paused, finishing off her apple and tucking the core into a piece of cloth in her satchel. “I just feel like...coming back to Corona after all that’s happened has changed everything for me. I guess I just didn’t know how much everyone here cared about me.”

“Cass, we always have.” 

“I know that now. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t have fought so hard to bring me back from the depths. Rapunzel, you’re a lifesaver. Your heart is so big, your spirit and resolve so strong, none of us could hide from it even if we tried. You saved Eugene. You saved Varian. You saved Catalina and Kiera. You saved the pub thugs. And you saved me.”

Rapunzel shook her head. “I didn’t save anybody, Cassandra, really. I just made you all see what was within you the entire time.”

“You saved me. I wouldn’t have come back from that if you had given up on me, at any point. But you didn’t. I just kept hurting you, and you kept loving me. No matter what I did, you loved me. I still don’t understand that.” 

“You only lashed out at us because you were hurting too, Cass. I knew that. If you weren’t hurting, you wouldn’t have lashed out, and I’m sorry if I caused you any of that pain.”

“You can’t control my emotions. There are just so many factors that are out of your control. You can’t...you can’t change yourself.”

“What do you mean, Cass?”

“Oh.” Cassandra paused, immediately realizing she had said too much. “Nothing, I don’t even know what that was supposed to mean. This is why I never open up. The words that come out of my mouth don’t make any sense.” 

Rapunzel shook her head playfully. “You are something else, Cass.” Gently, Rapunzel reached out and placed a hand on Cassandra’s, causing Cass’ heart to leap to her throat. “For the record, I like this side of you. It’s nice to get to talk to you like this.” 

“It’s nice to be listened to.”

Rapunzel squeezed Cassandra’s hand gently, gazing out onto the expansive horizon. “Cass? I’m glad you’re gonna stay.”

A feeling of warmth grew from Cassandra’s heart, enveloping her whole body in a surge of comfort. “So am I, Raps.” 

Cassandra turned to look at Rapunzel, the late afternoon sun striking her face. To Cass, she appeared to be glowing--the sun was reflecting off of her emerald eyes, and her short cropped brown hair was blowing in the light autumn breeze. She was the most beautiful woman in the world, and even if Cassandra could never have her in the way she most desired, she was eternally grateful to have her as her best friend. 

“I can’t believe how long we’ve been out here,” Rapunzel remarked, glancing back over her shoulder. “Awww, Cass! Look at Fidella and Max. I’d almost feel bad making them get up to take us home now.”

Cassandra glanced back beneath the wall as well, and saw Max and Fidella dozing off, side-by-side, Fidella’s head resting on Max.

“I think the little lovebirds missed each other,” Cassandra laughed, turning her gaze back towards Rapunzel. “We can give them a little longer.” 

“Yeah, good idea. I love it up here anyway.” 

“Me too...it’s been so long since I’ve been home.” 

“I am excited to have a couple of drinks with you, though,” giggled Rapunzel. “I know I may look it, but I’m not as much of a lightweight as you think!” 

“Sure you’re not, Raps. Suuuure.” 

“I’m not!” A slight blush spread across Rapunzel’s face, and she squeezed Cassandra’s hand once more. “You know what? It’s a challenge. We’re going to get wasted tonight.” 

Cassandra threw her head back, laughing heartily. “Okay, lightweight. Challenge accepted.” 

“Mmhmm,” Rapunzel grinned devilishly, “it’s on.” 

To Cassandra’s surprise, the princess moved a bit closer--still grasping Cass’ hand--and laid her head on the other girl’s shoulder. Cassandra’s could feel her heart thumping in her chest and noticed her breaths becoming shallow. Rapunzel had never acted like this with her before, but she liked it. 

“Your heart’s beating so fast,” Rapunzel remarked. “What? Do I make you nervous or something?” 

“N-no,” Cassandra sputtered, “not at all. Why would you?”

Rapunzel shifted her gaze to the other woman’s face. “That blush on your cheeks is saying otherwise, Cass.” 

Cass’ eyes widened, and she felt her cheeks burning even brighter. To the best of her knowledge, she was likely as red as a tomato. 

“Uhhh…”

“I’m just teasing you,” smiled Rapunzel. “Maybe I should do it more, it’s kinda fun.” 

Cassandra was at a loss for words as the princess gently wrapped her arm around Cass’. 

“I’m just so glad to have you back.” 

The two women sat like that for a good while, in silence, Rapunzel clinging tightly to her friend. The sun inched her way across the sky, moving lower and lower with every passing moment, on her nightly journey to meet the horizon. Cassandra didn’t know what was happening, or why Rapunzel was so steadfast in holding her arm, but she knew that she didn’t ever want this moment to end.

Cassandra pressed her head gently against Rapunzel’s, her feet dangling aimlessly over the wall, reveling in the embrace she had spent every moment thinking of for the past five years. Eventually, her heartbeat slowed from a violent beating to a steady thump. She closed her eyes, soaking in Rapunzel’s presence, the scent of the forest that wafted gently to her nose, the autumn breeze, and the ever-fading sunlight on her skin. She could stay in this moment forever. She could die right now and be happy. 

Too soon, Rapunzel lifted her head from Cassandra’s shoulder and straightened out her hair. “I have absolutely no clue how long we’ve been sitting here. We should probably get back to the castle, Cass.”

“Yeah,” Cassandra sighed, “we should.” 

“Why the glum face? We can always come back out here another time.”

Cassandra felt a smile growing across her face. “You’re right. Besides...it’s finally a socially acceptable time to drink. Let’s get going.”

The pair scaled down the wall, gently, as not to spook the horses until they had reached the ground. Once they had, Rapunzel stooped over and tenderly pet each of the horse’s heads.

“Hey, sleepyheads,” she cooed, “I hope you enjoyed your nap. Come on, it’s time to go home.” 

Fidella and Max rose from the ground, shaking their heads to rid themselves of sleep. Each horse was greeted with an apple from Rapunzel’s bag, which they accepted with an excited neigh.

Once the horses had finished their treats, Cassandra and Rapunzel mounted their respective horses, and began the journey back to the castle. Rather than a full-speed gallop, the horses elected for a gentle trot, which met with no objection from either woman riding them. 

Shortly, the group had made it back to the castle gates. Cassandra and Rapunzel walked their horses back to the stable, gave each a hug goodbye, and made their way inside.

“Honestly, Raps,” Cass remarked, “I’m not even hungry. I’ve had more to eat in the past couple of days than I sometimes did for weeks at a time on the road.”

“Me either.” Rapunzel shook her head. “We’ll probably be hungry later, but for now, why don’t we just send for a drink? Where do you think we should drink, Cass?”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter. Wherever you’d prefer.”

“If we go to my room Eugene is bound to interrupt us, or already be there. How does your room sound?”

Cassandra shrugged. “It’s all the same to me. We’ll have to drink on my bed, though, I don’t really have anywhere else to sit.”

“Eh, that’s fine.” Rapunzel stopped in front of a maid who was busy polishing the floor. “Excuse me, Amelia? I don’t want to bother you, but is there any chance that when you’re done, you could send a bottle of rum and some glasses to Cassandra’s room?”

“Of course, Your Highness. I’ll have one sent over shortly.”

“Thank you, Amelia!” Rapunzel gave the maid a hearty wave, and the women made their way towards Cassandra’s room.

Before long, they had arrived at Cass’ chambers, and made themselves comfortable on the bed. Cassandra leaned back against her headboard, her right leg outstretched and her left folded up under the right. Rapunzel leaned up against the bed’s footboard, cross-legged.

“So, Cass, are you ready for our little challenge?”

“Oh, so ready. I’m gonna beat your ass.” 

Rapunzel smirked, leaning forward slightly. “Oh, we’ll see about that.” 

Just then, there was a knock at the door. “Your Majesty?” inquired the voice from outside.

“Oh, that was quick!” Rapunzel sprung up from the bed and raced over towards the door. She opened it, quickly thanked whoever had brought the alcohol, closed the door, and made her way back over to the bed. As she sat down, Cassandra observed the caramel-colored liquid and two small, wine shaped glasses clasped in Rapunzel’s hands. 

“So, rum,” Cass poked, cocking her head slightly. “Is that your go-to, Raps?” 

“Oh, I don’t drink much, except for parties. On the rare occasion that I do indulge, it’s usually rum. I like the way it burns, you know?”

“Woah, okay, intense,” Cass chuckled. “I honestly thought you’d be more of a wine girl.”

“Wine is for lightweights, Cass.” 

“Well, okay, then.” 

Rapunzel poured a hearty serving of rum in each glass, and handed one to Cass. “Okay, shot one, let’s go.” 

“Oh God,” Cass laughed as Rapunzel raised her glass to her lips, “this should be fun.” 

Cassandra took a sip from her glass, her face scrunching up, taken aback at how strong the taste was. She watched in awe as Rapunzel downed her glass in one take. 

“Who’s the lightweight now, Cass?”

“I’m not a lightweight! I’m just used to ale.”

“Sure,” Rapunzel chided, rolling her eyes teasingly. “Drink more!” 

“Okay, okay!” Cassandra raised her glass to her mouth, closed her eyes, and tilted her head back, forcing the whole of the glass down her throat. Once she had accomplished the task, she pulled the glass back from her mouth and shuddered. “Okay...so maybe I underestimated you.”

“Oh,” Rapunzel said, a devilish grin spreading across her face, “you most certainly did.” 

“I mean, in my defense, you do look and act like a lightweight…”

“That may be so, Cass, but I’m willing to bet you’re the lightweight between the two of us.”

Cassandra shook her head in protest, and as she did, noticed that she was already slightly lightheaded. Oh shit, she thought to herself, I might actually be...screwed. However screwed Cassandra had realized she was, she refused to let Rapunzel know until it was impossible to avoid.

“I have to admit, Raps, I was really not expecting that from you.”

Rapunzel shrugged. “Different folks have different tastes. I’m almost certain you could drink more ale than me...I just chose my strong suit.”

“Not fair! I should be drinking ale, then, and you should be drinking rum.”

Rapunzel clicked her tongue. “Nope! My castle, my rules.”

“Ugh.” Cassandra slumped her shoulders. “Fair, I guess.” 

“Hey, don’t look so defeated. We’ve only just begun, and you did accept my challenge, didn’t you?”

Cass huffed. “I suppose I did.”

“Exactly. Now, put your glass out, it’s time for round two.”

Cassandra obliged, sticking her glass out for the princess to refill. Rapunzel topped off Cass’ glass, and proceeded to top off hers.

“Cheers!” Rapunzel leaned forward and clinked the rim of her glass against Cassandra’s. “Now, we drink--and in one go this time, Cass. That’s what a shot is.”

Cassandra groaned, raising the glass to her lips, closing her eyes, and chugging it in its entirety. By the time Cassandra opened her eyes back up, Rapunzel’s glass was already down by her side.

“You say you don’t drink much, but the speed at which you consume that shit says otherwise.” 

“No, really, I don’t! My parents would kill me if I developed any type of...fixation to the product. As they say, ‘a Queen may indulge, but she mustn't depend’.”

“That’s fair.” 

“Yeah, and as I’m reminded at least twenty times a day, I will be the queen one day.” Rapunzel laughed. “My parents have a weird fixation on reminding me of that. I always just want to say, ‘I know, Mom, I know, Dad, now please shut up because all you’re doing is making me think about your inevitable death’.” 

“Woah, Blondie, that got dark fast.” 

“Eh, it’s just the alcohol, it makes you speak the truth. I may be all bubbly on the outside, but I have dark thoughts sometimes just like any other human being. And, I mean, I’m not wrong. Dad’s too stubborn to pass on the throne before he passes on.”

“Your dad can be stubborn,” Cass admitted. “Still, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you talk about death before...except in the context of someone who already died, and you brought back to life.”

“As I said, it’s the alcohol.”

“Right.” Cass paused. “So you admit to being a lightweight?”

“Noooo…” Rapunzel’s face widened in a perfidious smile. “I’m just...nice.”

“Nice. Right, we’ll go with that.” 

Despite Rapunzel’s shocking ability to down shots of rum, it was becoming exceedingly clear that the alcohol hit her faster, also. Thank God, Cass laughed to herself, I’m not screwed.

“How ‘bout another shot, Raps?”

“Okay, Cassie-girl,” Rapunzel giggled, taking Cassandra’s glass and pouring her another shot, before refilling her own. “Cheers to round three!” Rapunzel clinked her glass against Cassandra’s once more, and raised the glass to her mouth.

Cassandra followed suit, the alcohol burning her throat slightly less this time around. 

“It gets easier and easier with every shot,” Cassandra acknowledged. “I think I get what you mean, now. The burn is kind of...pleasant.”

“See? I told you!” Rapunzel paused and stretched out her hands, examining them. “Wow. Hands are pretty cool, aren’t they?” 

“Oh, you’re drunk.” 

“No, no, really! Think about it. We’re the only living creature with thumbs...except maybe monkeys.” Rapunzel’s face lit up suddenly. “Wait, oh my God, did I ever tell you the monkey story?”

“The...the what now?”

“Okay, okay. So, you remember how Demanitus was actually the monkey, Vigor?”

“Uh, yeah.” Cassandra’s eyes darted to the side--the team had discovered that when she was already determined to steal the Moonstone. “Why?”

“Okay, so, this happened when you were all...blue and stuff. Basically, Varian needed one of Demanitus’ blueprints to build this portal thingy to trap Zhan Tiri. Obviously that’s not how it worked out, but that was the plan. Anyway, I took the gang to Demanitus’ secret tomb--which I probably should not be telling you about--to find the blueprint. When we got inside, there were like, a boatload of monkeys living in there. Lance found this machine with a big red button, and you know Lance, he couldn’t help but press it. Turns out, it was the machine Demanitus had used to transfer his conscience to Vigor. So, when he pressed it...it turned Varian into a fucking monkey. And then he wouldn’t stop pressing it, and all of us got turned into fucking monkeys. It was, quite possibly, one of the strangest experiences of my life. I mean, Cass, my brain was in the body of a monkey. And my body had the brain of a monkey. It was hilarious!” Rapunzel paused. “Oh, Eugene asked me not to tell anyone about that. Oh well.”

A grin spread across Cassandra’s face. “That’s...interesting. Now I can tease Eugene about the time he turned into a monkey.”

“Noooo! Don’t do that. Then he’ll know I told you.”

“Blame it on the alcohol, Raps.”

“Fair. Mmmm, alcohol. Let’s have some more.” 

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” 

“Yeah! I mean, you don’t even seem affected yet. I’m not letting you beat me that easily.”

Cassandra was, in fact, affected, but she held her alcohol well, and was not about to admit that to Rapunzel. 

“Okay, fine.” Cassandra handed Rapunzel her glass. “Hit me.” 

Rapunzel filled up Cassandra’s glass, and then her own. “Round four!” 

This time, Rapunzel didn’t bother to clink her glass against Cass’--she simply raised it straight to her mouth and chugged the whole thing. Cassandra followed suit. 

“Come on, Cass, you have to be feeling it by now.”

“Uhhh…” Cassandra shook her head from side to side, and discovered that she was much more woozy than before. “Mmm, maybe a little. But I’m definitely not feeling it as much as you.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I’m so sober.” 

“Oh yes,” Cassandra laughed, “the most sober.” 

“Duh.”

“Oh, Raps, what are we gonna do with you?” 

“Hmmm...good question. I often ponder that myself.”

A wide grin spread across Cassandra’s face. “You know, Raps, this is fun. Maybe we should do this more often, as long as it doesn’t contribute to your…developing a ‘fixation’.” 

“For sure. Also, if it did, Dad would murder you.”

“Oh, he definitely would. So not too often, but sometimes.”

“Mmm, deal.” Rapunzel paused, glancing at the bottle of rum, now nearly a third empty. “Round five?” 

“Rapunzel, no.”

“Rapunzel, yes!”

“Raps, we can’t have you sick in the morning.”

“I won’t be! Come on, please? Just one more...or maybe two? Or three?”

“Oh, god, definitely not three.” Cassandra paused. “Fine. One more.”

Rapunzel’s face lit up with glee. “Yay!” She eagerly snatched the glass from Cassandra’s hand and filled it, somehow also managing to fill hers without incident. “Okay. Round five!” 

In tandem, the pair tilted their heads back and downed the shots. 

When Cassandra placed her glass down, she glanced back over at Rapunzel to find the other woman staring at her intensely. Perplexed, Cass sat still, wondering how long Rapunzel would stare. At least a minute went by without Rapunzel removing her gaze from Cass’ face. 

“Uh, Raps?”

“Yes?”

“Why are you staring at me?”

“Oh.” Rapunzel’s cheeks filled with a bright red blush. “Was I?”

“Uh, yeah, for at least a minute.”

“Hm. That’s strange.” She paused, and glanced at her glass. “I blame the alcohol.”

“Right.” Cassandra threw her head back in a hearty laugh. “Hey, I have a fun idea. Let’s get up and see if we can walk in a straight line.”

“I don’t wanna get up, though,” protested Rapunzel.

“Come on, just for a minute. You can sit right back down afterwards. I just want to see how drunk you are.” 

A devilish smile spread across Rapunzel’s intoxicated face. “Only if you promise me one more shot.”

“Oh, fine,” Cassandra shook her head. “Here, I’ll go first.” 

Cassandra stood up from her bed, steadying her balance, and found a suitable board on the floor. She pointed it out for Rapunzel. “We’re going to walk along this line, okay?” Rapunzel nodded her head absentmindedly. “Hey, Raps, pay attention.”

Cassandra set one foot in front of the other with careful deliberation. Although she was woozy from all of the alcohol they’d consumed, she did an okay job, only stepping off of the line once and never losing her balance. 

“Good job, Cass!” Rapunzel clapped her hands together lightly. 

“Thanks, Raps,” Cass grinned. “Okay, your turn.” 

“Ugh, I don’t want to get up. Do I have to?”

“If you want that other shot…”

Rapunzel sighed dramatically. “Fine.” She attempted to get herself up from the bed, but stumbled, so Cassandra offered her a hand.

“Woah,” Rapunzel remarked once she was on her feet, “I think I’m a little drunk.”

“Uh, yeah,” Cass laughed. She walked Rapunzel over to the chosen board and pointed it out once more for her intoxicated friend. “That one. You just have to walk across it, as straight as you can. Okay?”

“What if I can’t?”

“Don’t worry about walking perfectly straight, just worry about walking. Besides, I’ll be on the other side of the board, in case you start to fall or anything.”

“Hm...okay.” 

Cassandra made her way to the other side of the floorboard. “Okay, Raps, go.”

Rapunzel did as best she could, her shoeless feet wobbling back and forth in a line that more represented a zig-zag than one that was straight. For a moment, she was actually doing quite well--until she made her last step, and toppled forward. Cassandra caught the princess in her arms. 

“Thank you for catching me,” Rapunzel mumbled into Cassandra’s chest. “I’m...I’m a little drunk.” 

“Yeah, you are,” Cass laughed, “as am I. I’m just not quite as gone as you are. Come on, let’s get you back on the bed.”

“No,” Rapunzel protested, “not yet. You’re pretty and comfy.”

Cassandra’s heart jumped to her throat for the thousandth time today. “O-okay, Raps,” she sputtered, “we can stay here for a minute. Just tell me when you’re ready to move.”

“Like, really pretty,” Rapunzel murmured into Cassandra’s shirt. 

“You’re really drunk,” Cass remarked, pulling the princess in closer to support her weight.

“Maybe a little…”

The two stood like that for a moment, Cassandra supporting Rapunzel’s weight in the embrace, until the princess poked her head up.

“Mmm, okay. Let’s sit down.” 

Cassandra walked Rapunzel over to the bed, and assisted her in reassuming her position against the footboard. Once Rapunzel was settled, Cass took her spot, back up against the headboard and legs crossed.

“I want my other shot,” slurred Rapunzel.

“Raps, is that such a good idea?”

“Yes! You made me get up! You promised.”

“Fine.” Cassandra shook her head in defeat. “You’re gonna have a killer headache in the morning.” 

“Maybe, I don’t care. This is fun!”

“Oh, boy. You’re gonna hate me tomorrow. I’m pouring this time.” 

Cassandra reached for Rapunzel’s glass and filled it once more, then filling her own. She handed the glass back to Rapunzel, who was smiling wide.

“Round six!” Rapunzel clinked her glass to Cassandra’s, and then the two girls took their final shot together.

“I’m druuuunk,” Rapunzel laughed. “I haven’t been this drunk since my wedding, Cass!”

Cassandra shook her head. “That’s probably for the best. I knew you were a lightweight.”

“Mmm, you’re mean. Stop calling me that.”

“I’m not mean, Raps. It’s just the truth.” 

“Nope, nope. No truth.”

Cassandra chuckled, taking the empty glass from Rapunzel’s hand. “Okay, Raps, whatever you say. I think that’s enough for tonight.”

“But Cass, I want more!” 

“Maybe right now you do, but you’ll be cursing my name tomorrow if I let you have any more.” 

Cassandra glanced at the clock on her wall. “Holy shit, Rapunzel, it’s one o’ clock in the morning.” 

“What? Already?” 

“Yeah. We should probably get you back to your room.”

“No. Walking is hard. This castle has a lot of staircases. A lot.” 

“Eugene is probably worried sick about you…”

Rapunzel shook her head. “He’s asleep. His job always knocks him out before eleven thirty.” 

“Oh, okay. Sure, we can stay here for a bit longer.”

“Actually,” Rapunzel corrected, “I’m going to take a nap.”

“What?”

“Nap. You know what a nap is. Me. Rapunzel. I’m going to take one.” 

With this eloquent declaration, the princess laid down, curling up and laying her head in Cassandra’s lap. 

“I’m gonna take a nap right here. Goodnight.”

Cass tried to interject, but before she could speak even a word, Rapunzel was snoring gently on her lap. A small grin spread across Cassandra’s face, and she reached for her spare blanket that she had always kept on the right side of her bed for cold winter nights. As expected, it was exactly where she’d left it, and she gently unfolded it and placed it on top of Rapunzel.

Cassandra leaned back against her headboard, resting a hand aimlessly on Rapunzel’s head, and running the day’s events back in her mind.

Did Rapunzel...did Rapunzel really think she was pretty?

Cass shook her head, trying to clear the idea from her thoughts. Sure, alcohol brings out the truth, but Rapunzel obviously thought she was pretty in a friendly way.

Or did she?

The necklaces, the painting, the wall, the ‘pretty’ incident...and now this. The love of her life was steadfast asleep in her lap, something she had always yearned for, and yet never expected to happen. Today had been a fever dream. Today had been everything she’d ever wanted. 

Cassandra gazed down at the woman in her lap. Her mouth was arranged in a contented, sleepy smile, her hair messy, her hand resting gently on Cass’ knee. She was breathtakingly beautiful, even as she slept. Cassandra didn’t understand how it was possible for anyone to possess so much beauty--let alone such bravery, such resilience, such kindness, such compassion. The woman sleeping in her lap was an angel--of that Cassandra was certain.

Cass knew that this night could not last forever, and that she’d likely never experience one like this again--the love of her life, a love so unattainable, was precisely where Cassandra had always yearned for her to be today. She had been by her side, in her arms, dozing off in her lap. It was unreal, and Cassandra’s heart would be content even if this was the closest she ever got to professing her love to Rapunzel.

Cass gently stroked Rapunzel’s hair, smiling wide at the beautiful woman laying in her lap.

“Raps? I love you.”

As much as Cassandra longed to stay awake, she could not fight nature, nor argue with her droopy eyelids. Within moments, she drifted off to sleep, leaning up against her headboard as not to disturb Rapunzel. As she lulled gently to slumber, her heart was full of contentment. Today had quite easily been the best day of her life.


	12. A Visit to Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello, party people! I hope you enjoy this chapter! It turned out much longer than I intended, and I'm finally posting it at 5:45 am--I hope it's good!!! If you're willing, please let me know what you think! Also, I hope every one of you is doing well during these trying times. If you need anything, please don't hesitate to comment, to ask for my Instagram, or to shoot me a message on my Tumblr (cassandra-tangled). I love and am here for all of you! As always...stay safe, stay inside, stay healthy, read some fic, watch some Tangled, practice self-care, and don't forget to wash your hands! Much love <3

Cassandra awoke the next morning to Rapunzel groaning in her lap. As Cassandra opened her eyes, Rapunzel sat up and rubbed hers.

“God, Cass, I feel horrible. Why’d you let me drink so much?”

Cassandra laughed. “Well, good morning to you, too. Six shots isn’t that much, and you were begging for more, so count yourself as lucky to have such a responsible best friend.”

“Ugh, fair. I can get a little pushy when I’m drunk. How are you feeling?”

“Oh, I’m fine. I can handle my alcohol.” 

“Well, lucky you.” Rapunzel rolled her eyes playfully. “My head is pounding.”

“I told you that would happen.” Cassandra reached out a hand and brushed Rapunzel’s hair from her face. 

“Did you? I don’t remember much of our conversation past me telling you about the monkeys. I do remember being wasted, though.”

“Oh, yeah,” Cassandra chuckled, “you were drunk.” 

“I’m sorry for passing out on your lap. You must have been so uncomfortable sleeping last night.” 

Cassandra felt her cheeks begin to burn. “Oh, it was no big deal.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, absolutely. It was, uh...nice. Yesterday was fun.”

“I’m glad you think so, because I slept like a baby. Yesterday was fun, Cass. It’s nice to get to spend time with you again.”

Cassandra smiled, and glanced over at the clock on her wall. “Wow, nine o’ clock already. What do you have going on today?”

“Err--I wish I could tell you. I don’t remember.” She paused, a look of panic spreading over her face. “Oh no. I missed breakfast.” 

“Oh God, Rapunzel, if you miss anything else important your parents are gonna kill me.”

“No,” she corrected, “they’ll kill me. I hope Eugene didn’t tell them that I didn’t go back to my room last night. My dad would freak out.” 

“If that was the case, the guards would have checked every room in the castle by now, and probably mine first. Besides, Eugene may be dumb, but he’s not stupid. He probably figured we got drunk and you crashed here.” 

“Yeah, you’re right. I should probably get going and figure out what I’m supposed to be doing today, but I really don’t want to. Do you have any plans?”

Cass shook her head. “Nope. Maybe I’ll go take Fidella out, or visit my dad, or visit Lance and the girls, or mess with Eugene, or watch Varian fiddle with his machines. I’m not really sure.” 

“Okay. Do something, Cass, don’t isolate yourself.” 

“Fine, I won’t. Can you draw me a map to Lance’s house?” Cassandra handed Rapunzel the paper on which she’d drawn a map to her father’s, flipped to the blank side.

“Sure. There should be a quill and ink in your armoire...I put that and a journal in there in case you became inspired.” 

“Unlikely,” Cass laughed, moving towards the armoire. “but thank you.” She opened the door and handed Raps the quill and ink, watching patiently as Rapunzel sketched a quick map.

“Here you go.” Rapunzel handed the paper back to Cassandra.

“Thanks, Raps. Oh, here’s a hangover tip--get yourself some eggs, bacon, and coffee, and drink a shit ton of water.”

“Eggs, bacon, coffee, water. Got it.” 

“Yeah. Give it a couple of hours and you’ll be a new woman.” 

“Thanks, Cass.” Rapunzel paused, glancing downwards, as a slight blush spread over her freckled face. “Hey, am I making this up, or did I, uh, call you pretty last night?”

“Oh. Yeah, you did.” 

“I tend to speak my mind when I’m drunk. You’re the prettiest woman in the whole kingdom, Cass.” 

“O-oh. Thank you.” Cassandra mentally cursed herself, stumbling over her words as she thought of something good to say. “Actually, I can’t be. Our princess is the prettiest woman in the whole kingdom, so…”

“Hm.” A grin spread across Rapunzel’s face. “I’ll be sure to pass the message along.” 

Rapunzel stood up from the bed and stretched her arms above her head, yawning as she did so. 

“Well,” Rapunzel huffed, “I guess I’d better get going.” 

“Yeah. Hey, when will I see you again?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Tomorrow morning, same time? We usually finish breakfast around nine o’ clock. I can drop in after, if you’d like.”

“Sure.” A smile spread across Cassandra’s face. “Thanks for yesterday, Raps. I hope we can do it again sometime soon.”

“We will. I promise.”

“Okay. Oh, and, before you go--I bought these for us, but we never got to eat them yesterday, so here.” Cassandra pulled a bimberry butternut out of her satchel and handed it to Rapunzel.

“Awww, my favorite! Thank you, Cass!”

“You’re very welcome. Hopefully that gives you some fuel to start the day. See you tomorrow, Raps. Have fun with your princessly duties.”

“See you tomorrow, Cass.” 

With a smile, a bite of her butternut, and a wave over her shoulder, Rapunzel was out the door. 

Cassandra leaned back against her headboard, and shifted her eyes towards the rafters. Her mind was jumbled with a clutter of emotions, and her thoughts raced a mile a minute. Everything had just been so perfect since she’d returned--her brain was having trouble processing so much gratitude and happiness. It was utterly overwhelming, and it didn’t make sense. She didn’t deserve any of the treatment she’d received. 

One thing Cassandra knew for sure, and one thing that yesterday had reinforced, is that she was madly in love with her best friend. Images of their day together flit through her mind like remnants of a hazy dream. It was almost as if she’d wake up tomorrow with everything having been just a vision of what she most longed for, once again on that hard bed in a shoddy Vardaros inn. 

Cass couldn’t help but feel that she didn’t deserve the good fortune that had come her way, and she couldn’t help but feel that something nefarious was brewing on the horizon. No-one with the karma she had put out into the world should have such good fortune come their way.

Cassandra tossed back and forth in her mind what everyone had kept saying--that the light, the good, was in her all along. They might think so, but she couldn’t be so sure. At that point in her life, she had sunk so far into the depths of dark and evil that clawing her way out didn’t even seem worth it. Even after she found out that Zhan Tiri had manipulated and deceived her, she still chose to walk the path of melancholy, of wrecking havoc and destruction. The only thing that saved her was Rapunzel’s kind green eyes, Rapunzel’s loving arms, in the walls of that amber cage. If she had not been trapped there, and if Rapunzel hadn’t been by her side, she would not be where she was today. She would most probably be dead, the guilt over her actions having driven her to her grave. 

Even before she went rouge, Cassandra spent most of her life closed off and bitter. She didn’t have anyone to confide in, or anyone to turn to. Her father was wonderful, but she could never go to him with her emotions. She didn’t have anyone else. The guards were distant and the maidens she worked with gossipy. For the majority of her life, Cassandra had to deal with everything on her own. That turned her cold. She pretended to have no emotions, to cover up the fact that she was hurting so violently inside. Cassandra experienced feelings so strong that they tore her apart and, eventually, drove her to do horrible things. Even after meeting her rag-tag group of royal, alchemist, and ex-convict friends, she kept pushing for more. Nothing was ever enough for her--nothing could ever be enough for her. No matter how hard she worked, how dedicated she was, nothing was enough. No one appreciated her.

Her five years on the road had given Cassandra ample time for self reflection. The guilt that clouded her conscience was never far from her mind--try as she might, Cassandra could never rid herself of flashbacks to every single mistake that led up to her leaving Corona. It hadn’t started when she took the Moonstone, it’d started long before that. Years of compounding confusion, pain, jealousy, and an infinite inferiority complex had pushed Cass over the edge. The fact that she was in love with Rapunzel, something she could never obtain no matter how hard she tried, didn’t help. This conglomerate of emotions was something she could never put into words, even if she tried. Her life had felt like one huge downward spiral, every day worse than the last...until this week, when everything returned to light again. When she realized she did have friends and family to turn to, who cared about her. Cassandra lamented the fact that it took twenty-nine long years for her to figure this out, but at least she had. 

Cassandra shook her head, attempting to pull herself out of her thoughts. She had to get her mind on something else, before her thoughts began to spiral downward once more. She decided a hot shower, a bimberry butternut, and a visit to someone she loved might do the trick. 

Cassandra started with the shower, cleansing her slender frame and dark hair under the falling water that burned hot on her skin. The showers were still heavenly unlike anything she had ever experienced, and she once more lingered until the water began to run cold, although this time leaving at least a dash of hot water for whoever else used the same pump as her. 

When she had finished showering, she wrapped herself in her towel, and moved to put on the last set of clean linens she had--a pair of tight brown pants and a long sleeved black shirt. The outfit paired rather well with her dark leather boots and black hair. 

Before leaving her room for the day, Cassandra sat on her bed and sorted through her satchel. Her stomach was rumbling, and she nearly downed her pastry in one go. Once she’d finished with her butternut, she counted out the coins in her changepurse--seven gold, and thirteen silver. Her excapade out on the town had cost her most of what little savings she had, so the rest would have to tide her over until she found a job in Corona again. 

Cassandra placed her changepurse back in the satchel, and pondered who she might visit today. She could visit her old man, or take Fidella out to see Lance and the girls, or watch Varian engineer, or bother Eugene at the Captain’s post...so many options. The day was young, she thought, so perhaps she’d have time to do all four. 

First, she’d take Fidella out to visit Lance and the girls--she was intrigued to see their living arrangements which were, apparently, a treehouse. After lacing up her boots and grabbing the map Rapunzel had scribbled, Cassandra made her way to the stables to fetch Fidella for their ride. 

Before long, she was standing out front of Fidella’s stall, Fidella nickering excitedly upon Cassandra’s arrival.

“Morning, girl,” she smiled, unlatching Fidella’s door and gearing her up for their ride. “I thought we’d take a ride out to see Lance and the girls. How does that sound?”

Fidella neighed her approval, and once Cassandra had finished getting her saddle on, the pair walked out to the castle gate. Cass mounted Fidella, and the pair made their way slowly through the village. 

“Woah, girl,” Cassandra instructed when the pair were next to the apple cart, and Fidella obliged. “How much for two apples, sir?”

“Just one gold piece, or two silver, ma’am,” the vendor, whom Cassandra recognized as James from yesterday, responded. 

Cassandra dug two silver coins from her satchel and tossed them to the vendor, who tossed her two apples in return.

“Thank, James,” Cassandra smiled, “have a good one.” 

While she and Fidella walked away, Cassandra shuddered at the fact that she was now old enough to be considered a ‘ma’am’. It was always ‘miss’ before. Had the years really taken that much of a toll on her? 

Soon, Cass and Fidella had made their way to the bridge, and Cass instructed Fidella to woah once more. She leaned forward and placed an apple in the horse’s mouth, before pulling out and examining the map Rapunzel had drawn. It was pretty much a straight shot, and the pair would be there in no time.

“Okay, girl. Straight.” 

As Fidella took off in a steady trot, Cassandra pulled her apple from her satchel and took a bite of the crisp, juicy fruit. By the time she had gotten down to the core, she noticed the treehouse on the horizon, and woahed Fidella once more. 

Cass observed the tree house for a moment--it was a feat, and possibly the coolest treehouse she had ever seen. Sitting between the top branches was an enormous structure with three visible rooms, all connected and constructed from white stone, each surrounded by a terrace. There were multiple connecting platforms, all with ladders, leading up to the door of the treehouse. Across the very top of the house was a wooden catwalk, probably used as a sort of porch or balcony, and a telescope poked out of a hatch in the roof.

“Wow, Fidella, this is amazing,” Cass exclaimed as she dismounted her horse. “Okay, you wait here, girl. I’ll be back soon.” 

Cassandra made her way over to the ground level ladder and began to climb from ladder to platform to ladder to platform, until she had made her way to the terrace in front of the dark wooden door. She heard chattering from the inside of the house--they were certainly home. She lifted her hand and rapped the door gently. 

Within a second, the door swung open, and she found Catalina peering back at her from the other side. “Oh, Aunt Cass! Come in.”

Cassandra stepped into the treehouse, and once again, found herself amazed. The first room, rather sizable, was home to the living room, dining area, and kitchen. On one side of the circular room sat a sofa, a rocking chair, and a coffee table, stacked high with books and games. On the other, there was a small dining set fit for four, and a wood-burning stove. Various cooking implements and tools were hung on the wall, and next to the stove sat a small wash-bin, as well as a cabinet, which Cass assumed held dishes. Behind the kitchen and dining area, steps led to another elevated room hidden by a curtain, which Cass could only infer held the bedrooms. To her right, there was a small room, also separated by a curtain, which probably served as a bathroom or additional lounge area. 

Lance and Kiera were sat at the dining room table, deep in a game of cards. Catalina cleared her throat loudly multiple times to try and attract their attention, to no avail. 

“Guys,” Catalina announced, “we have a visitor.” 

Lance glanced up from the card game. “Oh! Cass. Good to see you.” He set down his cards and gestured for Kiera to do the same. 

Kiera shifted her eyes to meet Cassandra’s. “Hey, Aunt Cass. Wanna play?”

“Not so fast, Kiera,” Lance chided, “we have to give her the tour! So, what do you think of our humble abode?”

“Humble isn’t the word I would use,” Cass laughed. “This place is awesome.” 

“Thanks!” Catalina’s voice piped up from behind Cassandra. “We built it ourselves, you know.” 

“Wow,” Cass huffed, “I doubt I could do that.” 

“Eh.” Kiera shrugged her shoulders. “It wasn’t that hard, actually. Just basic craftsmanship.”

“Yeah, but you guys were literal children when you built this, weren’t you?”

“Mmhmm,” Kiera responded, “but we were also literal children who lived life on the run for years before that. We had some skills.”

“Fair.” Cassandra smiled at Lance. “You’ve got some smart cookies on your hands.”

“Oh, trust me, I know. Smart and mischievous. Now, follow me.” 

Lance stood up from the table and led Cassandra to the larger room hidden by the curtain. With a swoop of his arm, he pulled the curtain back to reveal exactly what Cass had supposed--the bedrooms.

“Now, this was a feat of interior design. The left side is mine--king sized bed for a king sized man--and the right side is the girl’s.” 

Cassandra observed both bedrooms, separated by a stone wall. Lance’s had the aforementioned bed tucked into the back of the room, up against the wall that separated the space. Next to his bed was a small end table with a drawer, and on the other side of the room, a desk, a dresser, an armchair, and a bookshelf filled with mostly trinkets, although some books were present. On the girl’s side, a bunk bed sat in the back up against the wall. They, too, had a bookshelf, though theirs was mostly filled with books. Their room also contained a dresser and a desk, but no armchair--rather, a ladder led up to the telescope Cass had noticed before sticking out of the roof. 

“The other room is nothing special,” Lance admitted, “just our washroom. This bedroom was a challenge to split, though, with its being all...circular. We do make it work, right, girls?”

“Mmhmm,” Kiera piped up from behind them. “You snore too loud, though.”

“Oh, shush. Don’t embarrass me in front of my friends.”

The girls erupted in a fit of giggles, and Lance rolled his eyes. “So, Cass,” he began, “what brings you all the way out here?” 

Cass shrugged. “Oh, boredom, mostly. I haven’t found a job yet, since I’ve only been back for a few days. I’m gonna try to visit everyone today, I think, and you know I need my alone time, so I might not stay too long. This place is...impressive, though.”

“Gotcha. And I know, right?” 

Cassandra shook her head playfully at Lance’s classic arrogance. “Mmhmm.”

“You hungry? I could make some pancakes. We haven’t had breakfast yet, we’re late risers. I mean, it works out. I like to sleep, and so do teenagers.”

“Uh, a little. I could eat, I guess. I don’t want to impose, though.” 

“Oh, nonsense. Go sit down. Did you hear that, girls? Aunt Cass is staying for breakfast!” 

“Nice!” Cass turned around to see Kiera smiling and shuffling a deck of cards. “Hey, come sit with us, Aunt Cass. I’ll deal you in while Dad’s cooking.” 

“Okay. What are we playing?”

“Mmm, poker,” Catalina responded. “We can’t bet though. Dad won’t let us. He says it ‘promotes gambling addiction.” The last part was spoken with air quotes and an eye roll.

“Well, that’s fair, I guess--” 

“Not very,” Kiera interjected. “He won’t even let us bet on chores.”

Cassandra shook her head and laughed. “Actually, if I’d grown up with a sibling, I’m sure I would have wanted to bet for chores too.”

“Exactly!” Kiera turned towards Lance. “Did you hear, Dad? Aunt Cass thinks you should let us bet for chores.”

“Uhhh...that’s not exactly what I said, but that works.” 

“Kiera,” Catalina called, “deal, or we won’t be finished by the time breakfast is ready.” 

Kiera obliged, dealing out the cards and divvying up a small group of pebbles, which Cass understood served as the poker chips. The three girls played the round, laughing, smiling, and enjoying good spirits, while the scent of cooking pancakes and bacon gently wafted towards their noses. Ultimately, Catalina won the game, having somehow pulled both a royal flush and four of a kind, claiming victory over her aunt and sister. By the time Kiera had collected the cards and was preparing to deal for the next round, Lance shimmied dramatically over to the table, setting down two plates--one heaped with pancakes, and the other with bacon. He gestured for Kiera to put away her cards, and returned with four plates, four sets of utensils, and some syrup.

“Breakfast...is...served!” 

Catalina and Kiera were the first to jump at the food--each took five pancakes and four strips of bacon, a hearty serving, but fitting for a growing child. Lance helped himself to four pancakes and six strips of bacon. Cassandra, politely waiting her turn, grabbed two pancakes, and three strips of bacon. She took a bite into her first pancake, and found that it was delectable--Lance was actually a wonderful cook. 

“Wow, Lance,” Cass murmured through a mouthful of pancakes, “these are really, really good.”

“Yeah, thanks, Dad,” piped Catalina.

“They are,” affirmed Kiera. “I mean, we eat them every morning and I could never get tired of them.”

Cass laughed. “Pancakes for breakfast every morning...I see why they like you, Lance.” 

“Oh, yeah. It’s just ‘cause I’m the coolest dad ever. I bet Cap didn’t let you have pancakes for breakfast every day now, did he, Cass?”

“Uh, no.” Cass laughed nervously. “We usually had eggs.”

“Exactly. That’s why I’m the best, right, girls?”

Kiera rolled her eyes. “Sure, Dad.”

Lance gasped dramatically. “Oh, what are you implying! My own daughter…I never thought you’d betray me…”

Catalina giggled. “You’re a piece of work sometimes, Dad.”

Lance straightened himself up. “That I am, darling, and I pride myself on it.”

Cassandra shook her head, amused, and started picking at her plate again, trying not to scarf the entire plate down in one bite and finish before everyone else. She’d already had some food today, so she wasn’t even that hungry, but the pancakes were so amazing she couldn’t help but want to shovel them in her mouth.

When she noticed Lance had finished, Cass politely finished off the last few bites of her plate. “Thank you again, Lance. It was delicious.”

“Why of course, Cassandra.” He got up from the table, collecting his and Cass’ dishes and putting them into the wash bin, while Kiera and Catalina finished up their last bits of food. 

“Well, guys, I hate to say it, but I think I should probably get going. It was good to see you, girls, and Lance, thanks for having me.” 

“We’re here anytime,” Lance grinned, embracing Cassandra in a light hug--much less aggressive than the one she had received at her welcome dinner. “Thanks for stopping by, Cass. It’s good to have you home.”

Catalina and Kiera each gave Cass a quick hug and a quick goodbye, and before long, she was making her way back down to the ground. 

“Hey, girl,” Cass cooed to Fidella, who was grazing in the nearby grass, “ready to go?” 

Fidella raised her head with an affirmative neigh, and Cass mounted the horse, the pair headed back towards the kingdom. As they rode, Cassandra contemplated what to do next--she knew visiting everyone might be tiring, but they’d probably appreciate a visit. Besides, Cass had spent the last five years all alone, she shouldn’t be isolating herself when she was once again surrounded by those she loved. 

Before long, Cass and Fidella had made it back to the castle gates. “Thanks, Fidella,” Cass smiled as she walked the horse back to her stall at the stable. With a pat on the head and an apple from the stockroom, Cass left Fidella to rest at home.

Without her mind even processing it, her feet led her in the direction of her father’s home. Okay, she thought, I guess that’s where I’m going next. She enjoyed the scenery and livelihood of the tan cobbled roads on her stroll there, appreciating every house and every Coronan she passed. She was lucky to have such a beautiful place to call home.

Shortly, Cassandra had arrived at her father’s door. She lifted her hand to knock, and within seconds, the door swung open.

“Cassandra!” Her father gripped her in a tight hug. “Come in, dear. Want some tea?”

“Sure, Dad,” Cass smiled. “I just wanted to stop in and see how you were doing.”

“Oh, I was fine, but now I’m great, dear. Have a seat by the hearth, I’ll put the kettle on.” 

Cassandra obliged, and her father disappeared into the kitchen for a moment, before reappearing and taking a seat by her side. 

“What have you been up to, Cassandra? Staying out of trouble, I expect?”

“Oh, always. Yesterday, Rapunzel and I spent the day together, and the day before that, I went out on the town. You know, I visited the Sweet Shoppe, had Feldspar fix my boots. That fun stuff.”

“That went well, yes?” 

“Mostly. Feldspar was a little...snippy, but Monty and Atilla were happy to see me, at least.”

“That’s good, dear. I think the town will take to your being back quite well.”

“I hope.”

Suddenly, there was a loud whistle from the kitchen, and Cap stood up from his chair.

“Water’s done. Do you still take your tea black, dear?”

“Of course.” 

“That’s my girl.” 

With a smile on his face, Cap disappeared once more into the kitchen. The whistling stopped, and a moment later he returned, this time carrying two saucers with steaming teacups atop them. He handed one to Cass, and reassumed his position.

“So, have you decided how long you’ll stay yet?” Cap gently blew on his tea.

“Actually, yeah. I haven’t told anyone but Raps, but I think I’m staying.”

A look of enthrallment took over the Captain’s face. “Really? Oh, that’s wonderful news.”

“Yeah, really.” Cass grinned. “Thanks, Dad.”

“No, thank you. I was so scared that…”

“That what, Dad?”

“Oh, nothing.” Cassandra glanced at her father, and his eyes said otherwise.

“Dad, what’s wrong?”

Cap took a sip of his tea and stared into the empty fireplace. “I don’t want to concern you, Cassandra. It’s okay.” 

“You can talk to me, Dad.”

“I know, Cassandra.” He paused. “It’s just that...when you were...you know, and when you were gone...I missed you so dearly, and I was so scared.”

“Scared?” Cass scoffed and shook her head. “Dad, you’re one of the most fearless men I’ve known in my entire life.”

“Thank you. But every mortal life comes to an end, and I may soon be reaching the end of mine. I was scared of dying alone, Cassandra.”

“Oh.” Cassandra glanced down at the floorboards. “I’m sorry, Dad.”

He shook his head. “Don’t be, dear. That’s not what this is about. If your heart’s home was anywhere but here, that’s exactly where I’d want you to be. I would have accepted my fate eventually. Besides, I’m only sixty, I could very well have another twenty or thirty years left in me--but I also very well could not.”

“You will, Dad. You led an extremely active life up until just five years ago. You’re healthy.”

“Oh, I think I am too, but you never know. It’s like those I’ve grown up with are just slowly...fading away.” He paused. “Enough of this morbidity. All I was trying to say is, I’m glad you’re choosing to make your home here, Cassandra. It’s what I’ve always hoped would happen. Should you get restless again, though, don’t feel pressured by what I’ve said, please. You’re your own woman.”

“Okay.” She smiled gently, reaching a hand out to place on her father’s shoulder. “Thanks, Dad. I’m happy to be making my home here, too.”

“Have you decided what you’ll do?”

Cassandra shook her head. “Not yet. I’ll be looking soon, though. Varian suggested I take a week or so off, after five years on the road.” 

“Yes, that does make sense. I know you’re eager to jump back into work, though.”

“Oh, I am. That’s how you raised me, after all. The only problem is, I’m not sure what’s calling to me anymore. I couldn’t go back to being a lady-in-waiting, not even Rapunzel’s. It’s never been my favorite, plus it wouldn’t be fair to Faith.”

Captain nodded his head understandingly. “This is true. You should find something that better suits you. Perhaps talk to Eugene?”

“Varian said that, too. I don’t know, Dad. I’d still love to be a guard, honestly. I know I’m qualified, and of course Eugene would accept me, but I don’t know if Corona is ready for that yet. Maybe in a couple of years.”

“A good guard always thinks of the safety and comfort of her kingdom first. You’re wise to decide that, but it is an option.”

“I know. Thanks, Dad. Varian also suggested that I come work for him, which is an option, I suppose. Or that I try to find work in the town, but nothing is calling to me yet. I’ll figure it out, though.”

“Of course you will. I raised you to be a problem solver, and a hard worker above that.”

Cass smiled. “You sure did, Dad.” She paused, clearing her throat. “Hey, I just wanted to say...thank you for saving me, and thank you for giving me a good life. When I, uh, found out that Gothel is my mother...the first thing I truly should have done was thanked you.” She shuddered. “She was a horrible woman.”

“She was. She caused irreparable damage to the kingdom by taking Rapunzel...and what she did to you was equally as horrible. You don’t have to thank me, Cass, you should thank God. He gave me the strength to raise you as my own.”

“Maybe that’s true. I think the strength and generosity came from none other than your own heart, though. You’re a good man, Dad.”

“And you’re a good woman, Cassandra. Don’t forget that.”

Cass took a long sip from her teacup, glancing towards her father. “Do you really think so?”

“No. I know so, Cassandra. I raised you with these hands, I watched you grow up with these eyes. I know you better than you think, dear.” 

“Okay. If you believe it, then so do I.” 

“I know it must be hard to reckon with your actions. But that wasn’t you, Cassandra. You were manipulated.”

“Wasn’t it, though?” Cassandra shook her head. “I followed that path even after I found out that Zhan Tiri had fabricated...so much.”

“You were lost. You were heartbroken. If I’d only told you…”

“If you’d told me, I don’t know what would have happened,” she admitted. “It’s not exactly information anyone wants to hear.”

“I know. And once Rapunzel came back...I knew you’d have to find out eventually, but after I saw how close you two had become…”

“Dad, it’s okay. You did everything right.”

Captain sipped his tea. “That means a lot, but I can’t be so sure.”

“Well, trust me on that, and I’ll trust you on my being a good person. Deal?”

“Okay.” Cap extended his hand. “Deal.”

Cassandra finished off her cup of tea and set her saucer on her lap. “I’m probably gonna go soon, Dad. I want to visit Eugene and Varian today too, and I need some quiet time as well. Before I do, though...I just want you to know that I love you. I feel like I don’t say that enough...to you, or to anybody. But I do.”

A smile crossed Cap’s face. “I love you too, Cassandra.” 

“I’ll be back soon, Dad. Don’t forget to visit the castle sometime. ‘Do come around more often’ is the King’s way of saying he misses you, and one shouldn’t defy the King.”

“You’re right. I’ll stop in later this week. Here, dear, let me take your dish.”

Cassandra handed Cap her teacup, and hugged him briefly. “Thanks for the tea and the chat, Dad. I’ll see you later.” 

“Goodbye, Cassandra.”

“Goodbye, Dad.”

Captain disappeared into the kitchen, and Cassandra made her way out the door. 

As her feet led her back to the castle, she pondered who she would visit next. Two down, two to go. Admittedly, she had no idea where Varian worked, but she did know where the Captain worked--so she should start with Eugene. 

Cassandra’s legs led her to the Captain’s chambers without a second thought. She’d been there a million and a half times throughout her childhood--it was the Captain’s chamber of command, the place where every guard reported for duty, and the place where the Captain completed all of his important paperwork and such.

Within moments, she was standing before the dark wooden door she’d seen so many times during her childhood, only this time it wouldn’t be her dad behind that desk, nor her, as she had so longed for--rather, it would be Eugene. She raised her knuckles to the door and rapped lightly.

“Come in,” called Eugene’s voice from the other side of the door, and so she did, opening the door and stepping through the frame. Eugene was busy signing paperwork, and it took him a moment to look up and see who had entered the chambers. 

“Oh. Cass. Here to beg me for a position with the guard?”

“Erm...no, actually. I just wanted to stop in and say hi.”

“Well, if you can’t tell, I’m a little busy here, Cassandra.”

Cass turned for the door. “Got it. I’m leaving.”

“I’m pulling your strings, Madame Ice Demon. What happened to you? Sit down.” He gestured to the chair on the other side of his desk, and Cassandra obliged. 

“So, Cass,” Eugene began, “what inspired you to come and visit the most handsome man in the kingdom?”

“Well, I’ve been visiting everyone, actually. I already saw Lance and the girls, and my dad, and I’m going to see Varian next. You know, you’re kind of making me regret this little pit stop.”

Eugene grinned. “That’s my specialty.” He paused, glancing down at his papers, and then back up at Cass. “You know, I’m a little surprised you’re here to visit me, and not to try to land a gig working for me.”

“Work for you? Please.” A teasing smile spread across Cassandra’s face. “Besides...the people of Corona aren’t ready for that.” 

Eugene shrugged. “It’s up to me, not them.”

“Are you offering me a position with the guard, Fitzherbert?”

“No. That would be improper, and you know I don’t do improper.”

“Riiiight.” 

“All I’m saying is, if a certain Dragon Lady were to walk through my door and ask for an assignment...I might not say ‘no’.” 

“Well,” Cassandra grinned, “that’s good to know.” She paused, leaning back in her chair. “So, how’s Captain treating you? I bet you weren’t expecting all of this paperwork. Fun, right?”

Eugene sighed. “Yeah, so fun. The whole fighting crime shit is actually kind of fun, though. Who would have thought, Flynn Rider on the right side of the law?”

Cassandra laughed. “Not me. I remember the days that you terrorized Corona. You know, I got robbed once, it might have been you.”

“You got robbed? That actually kind of surprises me, you can be intimidating. I mean, not as intimidating as me, obviously, but intimidating nonetheless. Oh, and if it was me, I don’t regret a thing.” 

Cass rolled her eyes. “Of course you don’t. Yeah, I was young, and, uh...asleep.”

“Asleep?” Eugene leaned back in his chair and let out a hearty laugh, wiping his eyes for dramatic effect. “I’m sorry Cass, but that is just hilarious!”

“Mmhmm,” Cass smiled sweetly, “just about as hilarious as you being turned into a monkey.”

Eugene groaned. “Oh, God, I asked her not to tell anyone about that.”

“Oh, I know. Blame it on the alcohol.”

“I knew you two got drunk yesterday. Do you know the hoops I had to jump through at breakfast today to explain her absence for the second day in a row?”

“Nope, but I can imagine.” Cass chuckled. “The King and Queen aren’t dumb, Eugene. I’m sure they knew all about the day we had planned, they probably put two and two together.” 

Eugene shrugged. “Maybe. Either way, I put on one hell of a show to cover for your ass, so you better be thankful.”

“Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Fitzherbert,” Cassandra exclaimed sarcastically, “However can I repay you?”

“Hmmm. How about a back massage?”

“Like I’d put my hands anywhere near your disgusting back.”

“Disgusting? I’ll have you know, nothing about me is disgusting, Cassandra.”

“Nothing? Try everything. God only knows how you landed the prettiest girl in the kingdom.”

“Well, you’re right about one thing. Sunshine is the prettiest girl in the kingdom, so it only fits that she gets the most handsome man to accompany her.”

“Right, Fitzherbert. We’ll go with that.” 

Eugene shook his head. “You can try to run from the truth, Cassandra, but you can’t hide. You know I’m handsome.”

“And I’m the queen of France.” 

“Really? I hadn’t heard. Congratulations.” 

“Oh, you’re such a dickhead,” Cassandra laughed. 

“Once again...that’s my specialty.”

“Trust me, I know.” 

Eugene absentmindedly shuffled the papers on his desk and cleared his throat. “Oh, God, I can’t believe I’m about to say this, Cass, but...I hope you’ll stay in Corona. God, it just feels disgusting coming off the tongue.”

“Sure. You missed me.” 

“Maybe. I just know Rapunzel did.”

“Did you see her today?”

“Oh, briefly. You stole her last night, but I did get to talk to her for a bit this morning. She has a tight schedule, and so do I.”

“Really? I figured she would have told you.”

“More secrets already? What?” 

“I wouldn’t call it a secret.”

“Get on with it, then.”

“I’m staying, Eugene. Get used to having me around again.” 

Eugene tried to hide a smile, and failed miserably. “Well...that sucks, doesn’t it?” 

“Mmhmm, says the man who just admitted he wants me here.”

“I said no such thing, Cassandra. Those five years away must have messed with your head.” 

“Sure.” 

“I mean, seriously, you’re hearing things. You should get that checked out.” He paused, taking a deep breath in. “I know I’ve told you this before, but Corona really did miss you.”

Cassandra shook her head. “Everyone’s been saying that, but I still find it hard to believe.”

“Well, it’s the truth. Jokes aside, Cass, you’re...important, here. I mean, our little friend group is incomplete without you. It’s weird, not having anyone to bicker with.”

“Thanks, Fitzherbert.” 

“Isn’t it crazy how far we’ve come?”

“Yeah. It is. It’s not like you to be anything but sarcastic with me, though.”

“And it’s not like you to visit me when you don’t need something.”

Cassandra shrugged. “I guess that’s true.”

“Honestly, though...you know, Cass, I’ve been thinking a lot about getting older. I mean, when I was young…God, it bothers me that I’m not exactly young anymore…growing old was one of my biggest fears. It happens to all of us though, doesn’t it? You die while you’re young or live ‘til you’re old, and neither one of those options are exactly appealing.”

“I’m old too, Eugene. I’m only two years your junior. What are you getting at?”

“I don’t know, exactly. Would it be weird to say that you’re one of the people I want to grow old with?”

“Uh, a little.” She paused. “Actually, yeah, no, a lot.”

“Don’t flatter yourself, Cassandra, not like that. I just mean...Raps, you, Lance, Varian, the girls, we feel like a family, don’t we?”

“Yeah. We do, Fitzherbert.” 

“For someone who grew up without a family--even if I had Lance, and even though I’ve been reunited with my dad--that’s...something really special. All I’m saying is, I want my whole rag-tag gang here with me ‘til the end.”

“Eugene, you do realize we’re not that old yet, right?”

“Oh, talk to me when you hit thirty.” 

“Okay, so I’ll get back to you in a few months.”

“Hm. I guess that’s true. You are old, Cass.”

“Oh, shut up, Fitzherbert. I’m not, and neither are you. Listen, I know it’s easy to feel old when we spent so much of our youth literally saving the world...but we’re not. That was only five years ago, really. If you spend so much time obsessing over your age now, you’ll be cursing yourself when you’re sixty. Maybe take a page from my book. Focus on the here and now.”

“Maybe. I don’t think you do that, though.” 

“You’re right, but I try to. You should too. It’ll do you some good, Eugene. We only live for so long. Don’t spend so much of it obsessing over the end.”

“Okay. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but maybe I’ll try.” 

Cassandra smiled. “Good.” 

“I won’t give you the satisfaction of admitting if it works, though.”

“I know.” Cassandra stood up and pushed her chair in. “I’ll leave you with your work, Captain. By the way, where can I find Varian these days?”

“He works right down the hall, actually. We turned the old stockroom into his lab.”

“Right. I’m serious, Eugene. Think about what I said.”

“I will. Talk to you later, Madame Ice Demon.”

Cassandra felt a grin spreading over her face. “Talk to you later, Fitzherbert.”

Cass opened the door, made her way out, and shut it gently behind her. The old stockroom was just up ahead on the right, and she was there in a second. Once more, she lifted her hand and knocked on the door.

“Who is it?” Varian’s voice echoed from behind the door, the sounds of drilling, fizzling and whirring almost drowning out his voice. 

“It’s Cass. Can I come in?”

Suddenly, the loud sounds stopped, and she heard multiple bolts unlocking on the other side of the door. The door creaked open just a bit, and Varian stuck his head out through the crack, before opening it all of the way and gesturing for Cass to come in.

Varian’s workspace was cluttered with a menagerie of different machines, colorful liquids, and had a million different sketches strewn about. Cassandra couldn’t fathom what half of the machines--let alone the liquids--might do.

“Hey, Cassie. What’s up? Excuse the mess.”

“Oh, nothing, just making my rounds. Do you always keep your workspace locked like a maximum security prison cell?”

“Yeah, most of the time.” Varian shrugged nonchalantly. “I have some dangerous stuff in here.” 

“Good to know.” 

“Yep.” Varian grinned, sitting down on a stool by his workbench. “I’m sorry, I usually work alone. Do you want to sit?”

Cass shook her head. “Nah, I’ve been sitting all day. I visited Lance and the girls, and my dad, and Eugene.”

“Wow, last stop? Ouch.”

“Please.” Cassandra rolled her eyes. “It’s only because I didn’t know where you worked. I had to ask Eugene.”

“Right. So, Cass and Eugene are hanging out now, huh? That must be weird.” 

“Actually, yeah, it was a little strange. We talked like real human people, and not bickering children,” she laughed.

“That’s good. How was your little friend date with Raps? 'Ladies day'?”

“Does everyone know about that?”

“I mean, you asked her not to tell you what was on the agenda...and you know Rapunzel. She was so excited, she talked to anyone who would listen. Including moi.”

Cassandra smiled. “That’s actually kind of sweet. What are you working on?”

“Oh, so much. My brain hurts.” 

“Take a break.”

“‘Take a break’ is not in my vocabulary, Cassie.” 

“Maybe it should be.” Cassandra leaned her weight on her left foot. “I mean, who told me to take it easy for a week before jumping back into my work?”

“Uhhh...me.” 

“Exactly. You work yourself too hard, kid.”

Varian shrugged. “Maybe. It pays off though.” His face spread into a wide smile. “First in the Seven Kingdoms with hot running water.”

“You deserve to be proud of yourself for that one.” 

“Oh, I know. And I am.”

“Good.” Cassandra paused, glancing down at the ground. “This is unlike me, but I’m trying to be more open, so...can I talk to you about something?”

“Always, Cassie. What’s wrong?”

“It’s not so much what’s wrong. It’s more what’s right.”

“What do you mean?”

“I just mean...everything feels so perfect, and it feels like I don’t deserve it.” 

“I felt the same way at first, when I was starting out my position here. But you do, Cass. You deserve every good thing that comes your way.”

“How can I, possibly? I’ve done horrible things.”

“Do you think I deserve good things, good karma?”

“What? Of course.”

“I’ve done horrible things too, Cassandra. If you don’t deserve good things, then neither do I.” 

“I guess it’s just...easier for me to forgive you than it is for me to forgive myself.”

“Of course it is, Cass. I haven’t forgiven myself, not completely.” He paused. “But I’ve learned to live with it. I’ve learned to not let it control my every waking thought, and you will, too.”

“It does.”

“It won’t, forever. Not unless you let it.”

“It’s like everything is fine when I’m with you guys, when I’m distracted...but then something small will happen, or I’ll finally be alone again, and when I am, my brain just spirals, and there’s nothing I can do to stop it. You’re the only person I know who can understand how I feel.”

“You know, Cassie, you may never have been imprisoned, but I get the feeling that your time on the road was your form of...self-penance. You punished yourself for years, isolating yourself from the people who you love.”

Cassandra shook her head. “That wasn’t what it was supposed to be. I was supposed to go out there and find myself, but I didn’t find anything but misery, and my conscience tearing me apart from the inside out.”

“I get that, trust me. If I know anything about you, Cass, I know that you would have stayed out there if something didn’t change within you. Whatever it was that changed your heart, whatever it was that made you come back to us, hold on to that. We’re all here to support you, Cass. I shouldn’t say that the guilt will never go away, but if it does, it will take time, and it will take love. You can’t mend a wound this big on your own.”

“What if I can’t mend the wound, Varian? And I don’t mean within myself. What if I can’t fix what happened, with the citizens of Corona?”

“You can’t. What happened happened, Cass, and there’s nothing that you can do to change it now. I know we both wish that we could change our past. The best that you can do is give them an opportunity to forgive you. No-one took kindly to me at first. It took time. But now I can walk through the streets to nothing but kind ‘hello’s and smiles. It will happen to you, too.” 

“I want to change the past, so badly.”

“Cass, what happened made us who we are. It made us stronger, kinder, more open people. Every tragedy has a silver lining.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Cassandra paused, a million thoughts running through her head all at once. “Thank you.”

“Of course. I promise you it will get better with time, as long as you let us help you. Please don’t push us away anymore.”

“I’m trying.”

“I know.” 

Cassandra shook her head, trying to clear her brain of thoughts of what happened five years ago. “I’m sorry to come into your lab and be such a downer.”

“You’re not being a downer. It makes me really happy that you feel like you can come to me, Cass.”

“Like I said, I’m trying to be more open. I’m trying to fix myself, and fix what happened, one person at a time.”

“You should know that we were never mad at you, Cass, none of us. At least, not the people closest to you--me, Raps, Eugene, Lance, your dad. All we wanted was to have you back, and that’s what we got.” 

“But you…”

“What?”

“Nevermind.”

“No, tell me.”

“No, really, it’s fine.”

“Cassie. Please.”

“But you imprisoned me in amber, Varian. I never got an explanation for that.”

Suddenly, Varian’s face paled. His eyes glossed over, and his gloved hands began to shake. Tears welled up in his eyes, streaming down his face in two tracks, and dripping off of his chin onto the floor. He lowered his head, and brought his knees in close to his body.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“Cassie,” Varian murmured, his tearful eyes flitting up to meet hers, “I swear on my life I never touched that button.”

“Okay. I believe you. I’m sorry.”

“I never would have done that to you. I don’t know what happened, it was an accident, I--” 

“I know. I know. It’s okay. I shouldn’t have said anything.” 

“The last thing I wanted was to see the amber take someone else I loved. It was for emergency purposes only. I never meant for it to happen the way it did.” Varian removed his gloves, and wiped his tear-stained face. “It was an accident.” He paused. “I don’t know what happened. That’s among the many things I’ve yet to forgive myself for.”

Cassandra stared in horror at the floor, mentally cursing herself for ever having brought such a thing up. She should know better. She didn’t want to hurt anyone anymore, least of all one of her dearest friends.

“I’m sorry. I should go.”

“No. Please stay for a little longer. I don’t want to be alone right now.”

“Okay.”

Cassandra sat down on the floor beside Varian’s stool, hugging her knees and burying her face away from sight. Why would she say that? Why would she do such a thing? After all the kindness, forgiveness, and understanding he’d shown her…

“Cassie, don’t be mad at yourself.”

Cassandra raised her gaze from between her knees.

“Please. I’m the one who wanted to know, and I understand why you asked that. I really do. But it was an accident, I swear.”

“I believe you.”

“I guess it’s better we got that question out of the way.” Varian straightened on his stool, returning his gaze to his workbench.

“Maybe. It could have been left unsaid. I know you’d never try to hurt me, even then.”

“None of us wanted to hurt you. We all just wanted you back. That’s why we fought so hard for you. We just wanted you back.”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For not losing hope in me. You, Raps, Eugene, Lance...all of you. Your determination to save me is the only reason I’m not dead. We easily could have all been dead. I could have caused the fall of Corona, maybe even of the world. Who knows if Zhan Tiri would have...branched out.”

“But we’re not, and you didn’t. Everything is okay, Cass. Remember that.”

“Everything is okay.”

“Yeah.” Varian paused. “Hey, can we agree to forget that ever happened? I hate it when people see me cry.”

“Yeah. That’s a good idea.”

“And, Cassie? Don’t let this scare you away from coming to me, if you need me. I’m not mad at you.”

“I’m mad at me,” she sighed, “but okay. I won’t. Thank you.” 

“Don’t be, Cass. I’m good for you to go now, if you have other things to attend to.”

“I don’t, really, but I know you do. Being our chief engineer is a big deal.”

“Yeah,” Varian smiled, “I guess I am busy, but I always have time to help a friend, if you need me. Oh, and, offer’s still open to come work with me, you know.”

“Thanks, Varian. I’ll think on it. See you later, kid.”

“See you later, Cassie.”

Cassandra picked herself up from the floor and made her way to the exit, shutting it carefully behind her. She heard the clank of the bolts and, once she did, made her way back to her room. 

Cassandra arrived back in her room with a strange mix of guilt and relief in her stomach. Maybe Varian was right--you can’t change the past. You can’t fix your mistakes, you can’t turn back the hands of time. You can’t take back what’s been said, and you can’t heal a wound on your own. All you can do is focus on the here and now. All you can do is gaze steadfast into the future.

And to Cass, her future was looking pretty bright.


	13. Till Death Do Us Part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello, party people! This chapter is a big one ;) I hope y'all enjoy, and I hope I wrote this well enough!! If you're willing, please let me know what you think! Thank you for reading and more to come soon! As always...stay safe, stay healthy, stay inside, read some fic, watch some Tangled, practice self care, and don't forget to wash your hands. I'm here for y'all if you need anything! Much love! <3 <3 <3 (UPDATE as of 4/29: hi y'all! i hope everyone is doing well. my depression has been hitting me hard this week so if you've noticed that it's been a while since i've updated, that's why. i also work from home during the week, so i tend to write at a slower pace during the week anyway. that being said--i am working on it! i just want it to be perfect for y'all. i'm hoping to have the update out at LEAST by this weekend if not sooner. much love y'all <3)

The next morning, Cassandra awoke with a smile on her face. She was well-rested, thanks to her soft Coronan bed and a full 8 hours of rest. The clock on her wall read eight o’ clock--only an hour until Rapunzel would once more be at her door. 

Yesterday had been a good day. She’d made a mishap with Varian for sure, which still weighed on her conscience some bit, but she tried to focus on the good instead--it seemed that everyone was happy to have her home, and Cass was happy to be home. Once she’d made her way back to her room from her travels, she’d grabbed a washbin and a washboard from the maid’s storage area, and made herself busy washing her linens. As soon as they were sparkly clean and wrung out, she hung them up to dry on a makeshift clothesline by her windowsill. When she’d returned to her room once more after replacing the washing implements in the storage room, she was surprised to find a dinner of chicken, potatoes and peas sat on a plate on her bed, with a handwritten note. ‘Love, Rapunzel’. Cass faltered at the fact that she may have missed a visit from her favorite princess--though it was more likely that Rapunzel had sent Faith or another castle staff with the plate and the note. 

Presently, Cassandra pulled herself from her thoughts, sat up in her bed, and stretched her arms towards the rafters. An early-morning yawn escaped her mouth, and Cass swung her feet over the side of her bed. She stood up gently, and walked over to her clothesline to see if her garments had dried. Some of them were slightly damp, but her long-sleeved gray shirt, maroon undershirt, and one pair of black trousers were dry, so she threw those on her bed. Next, Cassandra grabbed her towel and had a quick, hot shower--she would definitely be abusing the shower privileges that came along with settling in Corona. Once she was washed and her muscles loosened, she made her way back to her bed, dressed herself, and plopped down on the edge of her bed that faced towards her armoire. 

What to do, what to do? Cassandra glanced at the clock on her wall, which now read only eight fifteen--still forty five minutes away from her visit with Rapunzel. To kill time, Cassandra decided to sharpen some weapons. She moved to her armoire, pulled out a long dagger and her whetstone, and plopped down on her bed. She began to sharpen the dagger, cringing at the admittedly loud sound so early in the morning--although, most anyone else roomed in this section of the castle was a guard or a maid, so their day should have already started. Once she had finished with the dagger, she grabbed a longsword, and once she’d finished with that, her precious halberd that Eugene had stolen so long ago. When the halberd was as sharp as a falcon’s claw, she placed the weapons and the whetstone back in her armoire, the clock now reading eight forty five. 

Cassandra sighed, laying back on her bed, and staring up at the ceiling. Her stomach was doing somersaults at the idea of seeing Rapunzel again, especially after the night they’d had. She reminisced about the princess falling asleep in her lap, the way she had curled up, comfortable and content resting on Cass’ legs. She thought of their trip to the wall, how Rapunzel had clung steadfast to her arm for so long. Her mind flitted back to their drunken escapade--how Rapunzel, after failing to walk in a straight line, had fallen into her arms, held tight to her chest, and called her pretty. 

None of it made any sense. Of course, Rapunzel was her dearest friend, but she could never be anything more than that--she had made a vow at the altar to commit herself to Eugene. ‘From this day forward, for better, for worse, for poorer, for richer, in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, till death do us part’. 

Till death do us part. 

Those were the vows she so longed to exchange with Rapunzel, the life she so yearned to live--by Rapunzel’s side through everything, every up, every down. Hand in hand, arm in arm, lives intertwined until the bitter end. But that wasn’t possible. She’d already promised herself to Eugene, and besides, two women marrying was about as unheard of as a flying pig. 

Why, then, did she feel this...pull towards Rapunzel? Why, then, wouldn’t these thoughts leave her alone? For five long, long years on the road, she had spent nearly every waking moment yearning to be with Rapunzel again. Now that she was, even that proved to not be enough for her. Still, her heart yearned for more, for Rapunzel to be hers and for her to be Rapunzel’s. It was a ridiculous thought, a dream that could never be attainable in a million years--and yet it was what her heart called out for, who her heart called out for. Day after day, night after night...Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Rapunzel.

Nothing would ever be enough for her. She would never be satisfied.

She could have everything in the world, every comfort and amenity she could possibly yearn for, all of the recognition of an entire battalion returning from a victorious war, and yet her heart would never be full. She would never have Rapunzel by her side, at least in that way. It seemed as if the fates were playing a cruel trick on her. Both what had driven her to her madness, and perhaps still the penance she’d have to pay...no matter where she went, no matter if she stayed or if she left, her heart would call out for one thing and one thing only. Her heart would scream forever for those beautiful eyes, the color of spring, for those loving arms, capable of dragging her from the depths, for that melodic voice to whisper, “I love you, Cass” every night before bed.

Her heart would scream forever for Rapunzel, a love so deep, yet so fearfully unreciprocated, at least in the way that she wanted it to be. 

Cassandra sat up and shook her head, attempting to clear her thoughts. She glanced at the clock on the wall--nine o’ five. Had it really been twenty minutes already?

She stared at the clock absentmindedly as it ticked indefinitely. Nine o’ six. Nine o’ seven. Nine ten. Nine fifteen. Nine twenty. Nine twenty five. 

It was unlike Rapunzel to be so late, and Cassandra couldn’t help but wonder if something had gone wrong, so she decided to go out and look for Rapunzel. She grabbed her boots, laced them up on her feet, and made her way towards her door, swinging it open gently.

Cassandra noticed a piece of paper glued to her door.

Not just any piece of paper. One of her old wanted posters. 

Suddenly, Cassandra found herself unable to breathe. She stumbled back into her room, shut the door, and slunk down onto the ground, back up against the door. A million thoughts raced through her head. Who had glued that there? Why did they glue that there? Was she really so hated that someone would go out of their way to remind her of her dark, horrid past? No matter the answers, the message rang loud and clear--she was unwanted here.

Everything that Cassandra had done came cascading back to her mind like water from a broken dam. The destruction and the pain she’d caused, and the disaster that had almost befell Corona at her hands, because of her greed. All of the lives that were nearly lost, fighting for the safety of their kingdom. She saw flashes of images--the many times Rapunzel had tried to save her, and the many times she hadn’t listened. Eugene, encased and crushed by the black rocks, telling Rapunzel not to give in to her. Varian, begging for her to return to the side of the light, and then the cage she’d locked him in, as if he were an animal. The brotherhood, mindless and under her control. The destroyed throne room. The kingdom, covered in black rocks. All of the heartache she’d caused hit her at once, her head a frenzy of regret. 

Cassandra knew what she had to do.

Without a second thought, Cassandra leapt up from the floor. She grabbed her satchel, opened her changepurse, and counted her coins. Seven gold, eleven silver. It’d have to do. She ran to her armoire and grabbed her sheathed dagger, shoving it deep in her satchel, and then to her clothesline, feeling for the driest pants and shirt she could find. She shoved those in her satchel too--one pair of linens was all she’d have room for. She grabbed the old painting of her, Rapunzel, and half of Eugene from its frame on the mantle, folding it back up and placing that in her satchel as well. She glanced frantically around her room--was there anything else she’d need? After a quick survey, the answer proved to be no. 

Cass nearly ran out the door, but thought better of it--she made her way to her armoire, pulling out the journal, quill, and ink Rapunzel had gifted her. She tore out a page, leaned it up against the cover, and haphazardly scribbled a note.

‘I’m sorry, Rapunzel. Please tell everyone I’m sorry. The poster, it’s clear I’m not wanted here. I won’t be back. Don’t expect to hear from me. The guilt is too much. I will love you until my dying breath. Please don’t forget me. Take care of my dad. Don’t let him die alone. Take care of Eugene, and Lance, and the girls, and Varian. Make sure they don’t miss me too much. I love you. So much. I’m sorry.’

She tossed the note on her bed, slung her satchel over her shoulder, and made one last mental goodbye to her room, to castle, and to Corona. With everything settled, she sprinted off towards the stables.

Cassandra made it to the stable, and to Fidella’s stall, in record time. The horse was munching absentmindedly at her hay, and only looked up once Cassandra addressed her.

“I’m sorry, Fidella. We have to go. We have to leave.”

Fidella looked confused, and then neighed defiantly.

“Please, Fidella. Don’t make me steal another horse. I need you to come with me. Now.”

She quickly unlatched the gate, and geared Fidella up with her saddle. She tugged at her reins, but Fidella refused to move.

“Fidella, please,” Cassandra begged, tears welling up in her eyes. “You’re the only one I have left. Please, you have to come with me.”

Reluctantly, Fidella stepped out of her stall. 

Cassandra walked her briskly to the gate, before mounting her, and taking off into the town. The pair raced through the tan-cobbled streets as quick as lightning, over the bridge, and into the forest beyond the island. When they’d been running through the forest for five minutes or so, Cassandra instructed her horse to woah, and pulled her to the side of the path. Defeated, Cassandra slunk down to the ground once more, her back resting on the bark of a wide tree. She pulled her knees in close to her body, buried her face between her legs, and began to cry harder than she had ever cried before.

“I was so stupid, Fidella,” she sobbed, “I was so stupid. We never should have come back here. Never. We should have stayed away. We should have stayed on the road. I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I know this is going to hurt you. I know I stole you from your home again. I hurt you, and I hurt everyone back home, too. Again. I’m a horrible person. I’m a horrible person.” 

Sympathetically, Fidella laid down next to Cassandra, and rested her head atop her rider’s. 

Cassandra continued to sob, tears soaking through her trousers, her chest heaving with every breath. She never should have come back. She was foolish to think she could make a home here, after all that had happened. How was she going to make it on the road with so little money and two mouths to feed? How could her heart survive such a lonely life after all of the kindness she’d received the past few days? How could she even have dared to show her face here, knowing she’d receive such hospitality in return? She deserved no hospitality. She deserved no love, no support. She deserved to be alone, to die alone. 

She was a horrible person.

Cass cried until she ran out of tears, and rested her head between her knees a little longer. Eventually, she steeled her resolve, and was ready to face whatever misery life would throw at her from this point on.

“Okay, Fidella,” she murmured, “let’s go.”

Once Fidella had stood up, Cassandra followed suit. She wrapped her arms around Fidella’s neck in a tight hug.

“Thank you, Fidella. We got this, girl.”

Cassandra was about to mount Fidella, but something within her told her to wish one last goodbye to Corona--and so she did. She turned, facing the direction from which they had come, and gazed longingly at the castle poking out ever so slightly over the tall trees.

“I love you, Rapunzel. I love you, Corona. Goodbye.”

Cassandra climbed on Fidella’s back, and the two took off in a gentle trot. They had been riding but a minute when Cassandra heard the aggressive clack of horseshoes in the distance behind her. Somebody was riding a horse, and fast. She woahed Fidella, and glanced back over her shoulder. Her eyes were met with an ever-growing blur of white. 

The blur got closer and closer with every passing second. Eventually, Cassandra was able to make out a horse and his rider.

Maximus and Rapunzel.

“Cass! Cass, hold on, please!” 

Cassandra was tempted to take off into the distance, but with this, at least she’d get to say goodbye to Rapunzel, and Fidella would get to say goodbye to Max. Within seconds, Maximus and Rapunzel were by her side. Raps dismounted Max, and Cass did the same.

“Oh, Cass. Cass, I’m so sorry I was late. What happened?”

“What happened…? Raps, you saw the poster, didn’t you?”

Rapunzel’s face hardened. “I did, and I promise you, we’re gonna catch whoever is responsible. Just come home--”

“No, Rapunzel. I’m sorry. I can’t.”

“Cass, please. You have to.”

“It’s clear I’m not wanted here.”

“Cass, yes you are. Me, Eugene, your dad, Varian, Lance, the girls, we need you. Please.”

“You’ll all be okay without me, Raps. I promise. You were for five years.”

“No. No, we weren’t okay. Please, just listen to me--”

“Rapunzel, I love you. But I have to go.”

“No you don’t!” 

“Yes, I do, Raps. It’s my choice, and I’m sorry, but I’ve made up my mind. I’ve done horrible things.”

“I don’t care. I don’t care. You’re coming home with me. We need you. I need you.”

“Raps…” Cass walked over to Rapunzel and cradled her face, before pulling the princess in for a hug. “I’m so sorry. I can’t stay, I just can’t. The guilt…”

“The guilt will go away. Everyone will forgive you. Please just be sensible, please don’t leave me again!”

“I’m sorry, Raps.” She held onto Rapunzel for a bit longer, squeezing a bit tighter, relishing in the last time she’d have Rapunzel in her arms. “I’ve made up my mind. Goodbye, Rapunzel.”

Cass jumped quickly onto Fidella’s back, and the pair galloped off into the distance. Cassandra heard the clack of Max’s hooves behind her, but she knew Rapunzel would have to give up eventually--the kingdom needed her. She felt horrible for what she was about to do, but it was the only option. She could never go back there.

To Cassandra’s surprise, within a few moments, Max and Rapunzel had surpassed her. Rapunzel moved Max into a position that blocked the path, and Fidella, left with no other choice, slid to a halt.

“Cassandra,” Rapunzel growled, “get off your fucking horse. Now.”

Taken aback by Rapunzel’s unusually aggressive tone of voice, Cassandra slid slowly off of Fidella’s back.

“Rapunzel, I’m sorry. I have to go.”

“You keep saying that, Cass.” Rapunzel dismounted Max and walked towards Cass, grabbing her hand gently. “It’s not true. Come home with me.”

Tears began to well up in Cassandra’s eyes, but she blinked them away. “Trust me. I want nothing more.”

“Then do it.” 

“I can’t. I just can’t. It was so wrong of me to come back here and get everyone’s hopes up in the first place. I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve you. I deserve to be alone.”

“You know that’s not true.”

“Rapunzel, yes it is! I destroyed Corona. Everyone here nearly died at the hands of a malicious demon, because of me. I almost caused the fall of Corona. I almost caused the fall of the world. I don’t deserve to make my home here. I don’t deserve anything. Please, just let me go.”

Tears formed in Rapunzel’s crystal green eyes and began to race down her face, and she reached a hand up to grab her necklace. “I can’t let you do that.”

“You can, Rapunzel. You’ll be okay.”

“No, I won’t. I need you here.”

“You have Eugene, and Lance, and Varian, and the girls. Your parents. My dad. Faith. You’ll be just fine without me.”

“Cassandra, listen to me! No. I won’t.”

“I’m sorry, Rapunzel, but you’ll have to be. I’ve made my choice.”

“I can’t let you leave. You can’t leave me. You can’t.” Rapunzel wrapped her arms around Cassandra’s waist, and buried her head in Cass’ chest.

“I’m sorry. Please tell everyone that I love them, and I’m sorry.”

“You’re not leaving.”

“Yes. I am.”

“You’re not leaving.

“Raps…”

“You’re not leaving me again.”

Cassandra let out a breathy sigh. “Rapunzel, give me one good reason why I should stay.” 

Slowly, Rapunzel pulled back from the hug, and stared Cassandra in the face for a long, silent minute. Rapunzel’s eyes shone with tears as they darted back and forth across Cass’ face. After the silence, Rapunzel finally spoke, making direct eye contact with Cassandra.

“Okay. I will.”

To Cassandra’s surprise, Rapunzel grabbed her face and pulled her down, kissing her on the lips. Cassandra’s stomach began to churn with the frenzy of a kaleidoscope of butterflies, and her heart started to beat a thousand times a minute. She felt as if she might actually pass out. When Rapunzel pulled back, her hands were shaking, her head was spinning, and she was at a loss for words.

“I’m in love with you, Cassandra. Now, please. Come home with me.”

“I--uh--you’re--WHAT?” 

“I said, I’m in love with you…” Rapunzel paused, a blush spreading over her face. “Wait. Wait a minute, oh God. Please tell me I haven’t been misreading you?”

“Uhh--umm--no. I-I’m in love with you too, Rapunzel. I-I have been for years, but...Eugene?”

Rapunzel shook her head. “I love him too, Cass. I don’t know how to explain it. Will you sit down with me?” Rapunzel gestured to a clearing just off the path.

“Yeah, Raps. I think I--I think I need to, uh, sit down…”

Rapunzel gently grabbed Cassandra’s arm and walked her over to the clearing, helping the faint maiden make her way to the ground, up against a fallen tree, before sitting down beside her. Rapunzel pulled a water flask from her bag, handing it to Cass, who gratefully took a hearty sip. Once she’d taken her flask back, Rapunzel nuzzled her head into Cassandra’s chest, and Cass tenderly wrapped a shaking arm around Rapunzel. 

“You...you love me?”

“In a way words can’t explain, Cass.” She paused. “I think I have, from the very start. I just didn’t know it until...until you were gone. I was so miserable, Cassandra. You were the only thing in my head when I had any free time...when I woke up, before bed. Eugene, of course I love him, I really do. He means the world to me, too. He’s the best husband a woman could ask for. But I can’t live without you. It started as just...just replaying our last conversation in my head. When you told me you loved me. Slowly, though, I started wishing for your arms, to be held by you...and then, I started yearning to do, well, exactly what I just did. Kiss you. That’s when I knew.”

“O-oh.” Cassandra pulled Rapunzel in tighter. “I can’t believe this is happening.”

“Neither can I. I didn’t know if I’d ever be able to tell you, but once you tried to leave me again…”

“I’ve been wanting to tell you that I was in love with you for years. My love for you is the only thing that drove me to come back here. I just always thought...you know, since you’re with Eugene and all.” Suddenly, Cass’ mind flashed back to that bar, in a shoddy pub, in the heart of Vardaros. Josephine was right.

“I don’t know how we’re going to make this work,” Rapunzel admitted. “We need to talk to Eugene about this.”

“We?”

“Yes, we.” Rapunzel lifted her head, and placed a gentle kiss on Cassandra’s cheek. “I’m declaring it. We’re a ‘thing’.” 

“Oh?” A wide grin spread across Cassandra’s face, and her cheeks burned hotter than the sun. “Okay. I can work with that.” 

“Good. So, yes. We’ll be talking to him.”

“What are we even going to say, Raps?”

“I don’t know. I’m afraid he’ll think I’m leaving him for you, but that’s not the truth. I just...I just want to be with both of you. You’re okay with that, right?”

“Uh, duh.” Cassandra laughed. “No, divorce Fitzherbert for me. Yes, I’m okay with that. I never thought anything close to this would even happen. Rapunzel, this is a dream come true.” 

“It is for me, too. I didn’t know if I’d ever see you again.” Rapunzel’s face softened. “I just hope Eugene will be okay with it. If he’s not, and he tells my parents or something…”

“I’ll be executed or sent to a convent in a second. You have to be absolutely certain he’ll be okay with this, or we have to keep it a complete and total secret. You know, uh, these...sorts of relationships aren’t exactly widely respected, right?”

“Yeah. I know.” Rapunzel shook her head. “I’ve felt this way a while--been attracted to both males and females, I mean, since I set foot out of the tower. I mean, men are so handsome, and girls are so pretty. What’s not to love? I had no clue it wasn’t normal, until I noticed that I’d never seen two men or two women dating or married...”

“Oh, it’s normal. That’s why it’s so hated. Most of the people who are aggressively against two people of the same gender dating are...uh, repressing something, I’d say. But that doesn’t make it any more accepted.” 

“Yeah. I think Eugene will be okay with it...I hope.”

“Honestly, Raps, I think so too. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’ll be a shock at first, but he loves you so much, Rapunzel. He’ll be able to accept it, if it makes you happy.”

“I just don’t want to hurt him.”

“If we keep this from him and he finds out somehow, it’ll hurt him more. I think you’re right. We need to talk to him.” 

“Okay.” Rapunzel sighed, resting her hand on Cassandra’s leg. “Cass? Promise me something.”

“Yeah, Raps?”

“Please don’t ever try to leave me again.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“Raps? Promise me something?”

“Of course.”

“Be patient with me, please...with this whole, uh, healing thing. Healing from what I’ve done. It’s going to be hard, and it’s going to take a while. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to escape the guilt, fully, anyway.”

“I will. And you will. I promise.”

“Are you certain?”

“Absolutely.”

“Okay.”

Rapunzel let out a breathy sigh, curling up even further into Cassandra’s arms. “I don’t know how we’re going to make this work. I’m...I’m so scared of hurting him, Cass. He’s been by my side since the moment I left the tower, nine years ago, now. He’s always been so good to me, he’s so patient and kind and...what if this hurts him? What if I hurt him?”

“Listen, Raps, if this doesn’t work and we need to stay just friends, I’m okay with that.”

“I don’t know if I am, though.” She paused. “Maybe it’s greedy...but I love both of you so much. I need you both in this way.”

“Eugene will be okay, Raps. He’ll still be the one you come home to every night.”

“Maybe.”

“Maybe?”

“Well, er…”

“Yes?”

“Oh, I guess you’re right. I just…”

“What?”

Rapunzel shook her head against Cassandra’s chest. “I want it both ways, which just isn’t possible. I don’t know.” 

“Let’s not...bite off more than we can chew, Raps. This will be tricky, but we’ll figure it out.”

“Okay.” Rapunzel paused. “I don’t want to hide you.”

“Tough luck, kid. You’re gonna have to.”

“Says who?”

“Uh, says the chopping block or nunnery waiting for me if your parents find out.”

“Maybe they’d be okay with it?”

“Be okay with--with their married daughter also dating the woman who nearly destroyed their kingdom? Uh, I don’t think so. Listen, your parents may be open and understanding as far as rulers go, but certainly not that open.”

“Oh, I guess you’re right.”

“I am. This can’t go any further than Eugene…” 

“Therein lies the problem.”

“Oh, fuck. You’re right. That man can’t keep his mouth shut about anything.”

“Really. I love him, but he can’t.”

“Okay, so then maybe we let him talk about it with...like Lance, and Varian? So he has someone to go blab to?”

“If you’re okay with that.”

Cass shrugged. “It’d probably be easier that way. I think Lance and Varian would be able to keep a secret this drastic.”

“How do we know they’ll be okay with it, though?”

“Honestly, we don’t. But they’re our little family, Raps. It’ll probably be easier not to hide it from them, anyway. All things in due time, though.” 

“Yeah.” 

“God, am I glad that horse can run. Thank you, Maximus.”

Rapunzel laughed. “Oh, me too. I don’t know what I would have done if I couldn’t catch up to you. I probably would have followed you halfway across the globe.”

“You couldn’t have. Corona needs you.”

“Oh, I shouldn’t have, if it had come to that, but I would have.” 

Cassandra felt a smile spreading across her face. “I...still can’t believe this is happening. These past few days have felt like a dream.”

Rapunzel gently sat up from Cassandra’s embrace, and caressed the other woman’s face, planting yet another soft, slow kiss on Cassandra’s lips.

“It’s not a dream, Cass. Now, come on--we should probably go back to the castle. Unfortunately, I have places to be.”

“When don’t you? A statesperson’s work is never done.”

Cassandra made her way up from the ground, her legs no longer shaking, and offered Rapunzel a hand. Rapunzel obliged, and Cassandra pulled the princess from the ground and into a brief hug, kissing the top of her forehead before letting her go. In tandem, the pair climbed onto the backs of their horses, and made their way back towards the kingdom.

When they’d arrived at the castle gates, they gently dismounted their horses, and each walked her horse to their respective stall, taking off their gear before heading inside. 

“Thanks, Fidella,” Cass whispered as she undid the horse’s saddle, “for everything. We’re home, girl. You’re the best horse ever.” 

Cassandra gave Fidella a pat on the neck before making her way back towards the entrance to the stable, where Rapunzel stood, waiting.

“Hey, stranger.” A sly grin took hold of Rapunzel’s face. “Ready to go?”

Cassandra sighed. “Nope. Let’s go.” 

The pair made their way, silently, to Cassandra’s room. Once they had arrived at the door, the poster once more left a pit in Cass’ stomach. Without hesitation, Rapunzel dug her fingernails under the corners of the offending poster and peeled it from the door, crushing it up in her hands and throwing it into her bag.

“That takes care of that.” Rapunzel opened the door and stepped through, making her way into Cassandra’s room and plopping down on the maiden’s bed, gesturing for Cass to do the same.

“Thanks, Raps.”

“I promise we’ll catch whoever did that, and they’ll be sorry, Cass.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“But they almost made me lose you again, and--”

“No, really. Don’t, please.” Cassandra paused, shaking her head. “Whoever it was, I probably destroyed some aspect of their life with my...rampages. They have every right to be angry at my return. Not everyone in this kingdom loves me.”

“Fine, but if it happens again, call for me. Okay?”

“You got it.”

Rapunzel groaned, leaning over and wrapping her slender arms around Cassandra’s frame. “Cass, I don’t wanna go to work, not right now.”

“Then don’t, baby. Stay here with me.”

“Oh, God. Say that again.”

“Stay here with me…?”

“No, the other part.” 

A slight blush spread over Cassandra’s cheeks. “Okay, baby.”

Without explanation, Rapunzel untwined her arms from Cassandra’s side, schooched over, and laid back on the bed, patting the area beside her expectantly. Cassandra took the hint and obliged, lying down next to Rapunzel. Gently, Rapunzel lifted her head and laid it on Cassandra’s chest, placing one arm about her midsection, and slinging one leg over Cassandra’s. In response, Cassandra placed her arm around the other girl’s back and pulled her in close, holding her as she had always yearned for.

“See, Cass? I told you you’d want to come home with me. This is how everything is supposed to be.”

Cassandra couldn’t help but agree. She watched the princess intently as her emerald eyes fluttered shut, and her breathing gently kept time with Cassandra’s. Everything was as it should be, and Cass’ soul was at peace--although she couldn’t fathom how she could be so lucky as to have Rapunzel by her side, she graciously accepted the privilege. The pair laid side by side, embracing for a good moment, until Rapunzel opened her eyes and poked her head up. 

“I really should get going, Cass.”

Cass playfully wrapped her other arm around Rapunzel and held tight. “Nope. You’re stuck here with me.”

Rapunzel let out a hearty laugh. “Oh, I wish I could be, especially right now. Come on, let me get up.”

Reluctantly, Cassandra released her hold on Rapunzel, and the princess sat up, stretched, and yawned. “Ugh, okay. Do you think we should talk to Eugene tonight, Cass, or should we wait?”

Cassandra shrugged. “That’s up to you, Raps. He’s your husband, not mine.”

“I guess we should just get it out of the way.”

“Okay, if that’s what you want.”

“I’ll be back later tonight, after dinner and my last obligation of the day...probably around nine or ten o’ clock. Then we’ll make our way up to my room. Okay?”

“Okay.” Cassandra sighed. “I don’t want you to leave, but you probably should.”

“Yeah. I’ll get going. See you in a few hours, Cass. I’ll have a plate made up for you again tonight.”

“You’re the best. See you in a few hours, Raps.” 

Rapunzel stood up and made her way to the door, and suddenly, Cass was possessed with the urge to leap up after her--so she did. She ran up behind Rapunzel, grabbed her by the waist, and spun her around, before kissing her passionately on the lips.

“One for the road.”

“Hey, not fair!” Rapunzel shook her head, laughing, and disappeared through the door without another word. 

Cassandra made her way over to her bed and plopped down, turning over the day’s events in her head. Her stomach danced with butterflies, and her heart was pumping wildly in her chest--nothing that had happened today made any sense. 

Rapunzel was in love with her? Cassandra couldn’t fathom such a thing, and yet, it was apparently the truth. The past few days still felt like a cruel, realistic dream to Cass, and yet...they weren’t. Rapunzel had kissed her, Rapunzel had been in her arms--everything that Cass had yearned for and wished for every night, everything that had seemed tragically impossible, all came true in one quick moment.

And to think--she’d almost left her again, when they’d both spent the past five years wanting nothing more than to be with each other. 

Cassandra was admittedly anxious about the talk they’d be having with Eugene tonight. It was almost as if she’d waltzed back into their kingdom and stole his wife, and she hoped he would be understanding. As much as she still hated to admit it even to herself, Fitzherbert was important to her. He might be cocky, conceited, self-righteous, and straight up annoying at times, but beneath his facade he was good-hearted, and empathetic, and most importantly, her friend. The last thing she wanted to do was hurt him, or any of her friends, any more than she already had. What had happened had happened, though, and there was no going back--of course, Cassandra wouldn’t want to, even if she could. All that she could do was call out to the universe and hope he’d be okay with it. All that she could do was pray that Eugene would not come to despise her because of all of this.

No matter what happened tonight, Cassandra knew one thing for certain--everything was falling into place for her, no matter if she deserved it or not. She had a home, she had wonderful friends who cared for her, and now...she had a beautiful girlfriend, the one she had always yearned for, for the first time in her life. She could finally call Rapunzel hers, and she would do everything in her power to keep it that way, until she took her last breath.

Till death do us part.


	14. A Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello hello, party people! I'm sorry about the little mini-hiatus, I'd been feeling blue, but without further ado...here it is, chapter 14! I hope you all enjoy!!! If you feel like it, let me know what you think <3 besides that, I hope you're all doing well and staying safe during this trying time. If you need anything, don't hesitate to reach out! As always...stay safe, stay healthy, stay inside, read some fic, watch some Tangled, make sure you're eating and drinking enough water, practice self care, and...don't forget to wash those hands! Much much much much love to you all, I'll see ya in chapter 15 <3 
> 
> (ps the end note has spoilers for the chapter)

Cassandra spent the rest of the day in her room--napping, thinking, reading, sharpening her weapons, and actually enjoying being alone, for the first time in a long time. It was nice to be able to be by herself without her guilt attacking her constantly, rather it ebbed and flowed with the hours, and at many moments, her mind was filled with pleasant thoughts of Rapunzel and the morning they’d shared.

Before Cassandra knew it, it was 9 o’ clock, and Rapunzel greeted her with a knock on the door.

“Come in,” Cassandra called, closing the book she’d been reading, and straightening her position on the bed. The door creaked open, and Rapunzel stepped into her room.

“Well,” Rapunzel sighed, making her way over to the bed and sitting down, “are you ready to talk to him?”

“Honestly, no. I’m petrified.”

“Me too.” Rapunzel shook her head. “Cass, what if this goes horribly?”

Cassandra shrugged. “Honestly, Raps, it might. I don’t know how he’s going to react to this.” Cass reached a hand out, and grabbed Rapunzel’s. “But I’ve been waiting a long time for this, and it’s better to talk to him sooner than later.”

“I know, you’re right. What if it hurts him, Cass?”

“I’m scared of that, too. You know I love him, Rapunzel. He means so much to me, but…we’re doing him a favor. It’d hurt him even more if he found out months or years down the line that we’ve been hiding this from him.”

“I know.” Rapunzel squeezed Cassandra’s hand. “What do I even say?”

“I don’t know. ‘Hey, honey, I love you, but I’m also in love with my best friend’, maybe?”

Rapunzel let out a hearty laugh. “Okay, maybe let me do the talking.” 

“Seriously, Raps, if this doesn’t work out...I’m okay with being just friends.”

Rapunzel leaned forward and gently kissed Cassandra on the lips. “We’ll make it work.”

“Okay.” A wide smile spread over Cassandra’s face. “God, you’re so beautiful.”

“Oh, hush.” 

“Nope. Let’s get going, yeah? There’s no use in wasting time.”

“Okay, yeah.” Rapunzel stood up from the bed, pulling Cassandra up behind her, and into a hug. “I hope this goes well.”

“Me too, Raps.”

The pair embraced for a moment, and when Rapunzel pulled back, Cassandra planted a quick kiss on her lips before moving towards the door to open it. She grabbed one of the many lit candles in her room to light the way, and gestured for Rapunzel to go first. 

“Madame,” she teased, smiling as Rapunzel exited the room, and following close behind her.

Before long, the two had made it to Rapunzel’s chamber doors. Cassandra snuck a glance at Rapunzel--her face was stoic, but betrayed more than a hint of fear. Her slender, pale hands hung at her side, shaking slightly, and she drew in shallow breaths through her pink lips. Her cheeks burned a pale shade of red, and her green eyes flit nervously from the floor, to the door, and back. 

Cass placed a gentle hand on Rapunzel’s elbow. “Are you ready, baby?”

Rapunzel shook her head. “Not at all.” She turned to face Cass, tears welling up in her eyes. “Cass, I don’t know if I can do this.” 

“You can, Raps. We can. We have to.”

“I don’t want to…”

“I know. Frankly, neither do I, but it has to be done. Let’s just...let’s just get it over with.”

“Okay. Okay.” Rapunzel took a deep breath, straightening her posture. “You’re right, Cass.” She paused. “What if it hurts him?”

Cass shook her head. “Raps, you keep repeating yourself.”

“I know. I know. But what if it does? He’s my husband. I’ve been with him for, God...seven, eight years now. That’s almost a third of my life, and the entirety of my life outside of the tower. What if it all ends here?”

“We don’t have to do this, you know.” Cassandra shifted her gaze towards the floor. “We don’t have to be together, if that’s easier for you. I’ll stay, either way. I can just be nothing more than...your best friend.” 

“After our day together, and earlier...I’m not going to be able to keep myself away from you.” Rapunzel let out a deep sigh. “That’s the problem, Cass, there is no...you being here, and us not being together.”

“I’ll let you two be, then. I’ll leave...wait, nevermind. Forget I said that.”

“Yeah, I will, because you’re not leaving me again.” 

“You’re right. It’s just the...gnawing self-hatred.” Cass let out a light chuckle. “Well, Raps, it’s sounding like we don’t have another option, then. I can’t be with you if Eugene doesn’t know. This might hurt him, but that would hurt him more, and I can’t do that. Neither can you, Rapunzel. Eugene has given you so much. If you truly want to be with me, you at least owe him this.”

“I know I do. Let’s just get this over with, then.” Rapunzel began to reach for the doorknob, but paused, drawing her hand back and shifting her gaze towards Cassandra. “Hey. Whatever happens in here, I love you.”

Cassandra’s stomach flipped, and her cheeks grew warm. “I love you, too. Let’s go, Raps.”

Rapunzel obliged, opening the door and stepping in--Cassandra followed behind her. The room was lit by candlelight, and Eugene was sat on their bed, legs stretched out, and head buried in a book. When he heard the door creak shut behind the pair, he closed the book, and looked up towards the women.

“Hey, Sunshine...and Cassandra.” He paused. “Babe, why is she here?”

“Uhhh…” Rapunzel twisted her hands together, faltering for words.

“What, trying to get rid of me again, Fitzherbert?” Cassandra grinned playfully, attempting to hide her nerves behind a teasing facade.

“No, but actually, yes, because this is our bedroom, and I don’t understand why you’re standing in it.” 

Cassandra moved towards the bed, plopping herself down and stretching out across the foot of the mattress. “It’s my bedroom now.” 

“You wish. Only princes and princesses get to sleep here.” Confused, Eugene pulled his legs back, folding them. “Rapunzel, do you want to tell me what’s going on?”

“Uhhh…”

Cassandra huffed, unsure of what to do next. Rapunzel was obviously at a loss for words, and currently useless. Cass hadn’t expected to have to do the talking, and she was not prepared. At all. 

“Well, Fitzherbert, Raps and I...have something to discuss with you.” Cassandra sat up, facing Eugene, and gestured for Rapunzel to sit down in the spot catty-corner to her, next to Eugene. Without a word, Rapunzel obliged. “Um, Raps, a little help here?”

Cassandra glanced towards Rapunzel, as did Eugene--her face was more pale than she had ever seen it, her eyes glossed over, and her hands shaking almost violently. Cassandra had never seen Rapunzel so nervous or upset, and she had certainly never seen the bubbly princess with nothing to say before. Rapunzel was supposed to be the one that was good with words, but it was clear that Cassandra would have to be the one to explain the situation to Eugene.

“Sunshine, what’s wrong?” Eugene reached a hand out and placed it on Rapunzel’s thigh. When he was met with no answer, his concerned eyes turned to Cassandra for one. “Cass…?” 

“Okay,” Cass sighed, “I guess I’m doing the talking. Umm...something happened.”

“Oh God. Who died?”

Cassandra chuckled. “No one, Eugene. But, uh, you might, after I tell you this.”

“Thanks for the comfort, Madame Ice Demon,” Eugene sneered. “Come on, just tell me already!”

“Okay, here goes.” Cassandra paused, glancing at Rapunzel--she was still as incapacitated as before. “We kissed, Eugene, and we’re, uh...in love.”

Eugene threw his head back, and laughed for a solid minute. “Oh, Cass! Good one.” He wiped his eyes, and glanced towards Rapunzel, who was still as silent as ever. “Did you hear that, Sunshine? Cassandra said that you're in love! Okay, okay. Thanks for making me laugh first. What’s the real bad news?”

Cassandra simply stared at him, deadpan, her eyes boring into his soul.

“...Oh. You’re serious?”

“Um, yeah.”

“Well, fuck. But you’re...you know what? Nevermind. I should have seen this coming, shouldn’t I?”

“Honestly,” Cass laughed, “I didn’t even see it coming…”

“Your crush on her was painfully obvious, though, Cass. I just never thought Rapunzel...cause, you know, we’re together.” He drew his hand back from Rapunzel’s thigh. “Or, apparently not, anymore.” 

Cassandra’s heart dropped as she sensed the immense pain in Eugene’s voice. He shifted his gaze away from Cassandra and Rapunzel, staring at the sheets on the bed, his dark brown eyes filled with sorrow. 

“Did you ever even love me, Sunshine?”

This was enough to snap Rapunzel back to reality. She grabbed Eugene’s face, cupping it in her hands, and turned it so that he’d be facing her. “Of course I loved you, Eugene. I always have, and I still do. Don’t be ridiculous.”

“But…”

“No,” Rapunzel shushed, shaking her head, “no buts. Maybe...maybe I should do the talking from here on. Thanks, Cass.” 

“Of course,” Cassandra smiled, thankful that Rapunzel was back to awareness. 

“I’d appreciate, uh, an explanation.” Eugene’s face seemed to soften as Rapunzel pulled him in for a kiss.

“I don’t really know how to explain it, Eugene.” Rapunzel paused, taking a deep breath. “Okay, so, all I really know is...I mean, you remember how I was when Cassandra was gone, right?”

“Yeah. You were a mess.”

“Exactly. I just...I always thought that my feelings for her were just friendly or whatnot. And then we lost her, and...I don’t know. I just realized some things.”

“You mean, you realized that you were in love with her.”

“Yeah, Eugene.” Rapunzel glanced at Cassandra. “Can I tell him about today?”

Cassandra nodded. “Go ahead.”

“So, this morning, I went to visit Cass, and she was gone. Someone had glued her old ‘wanted’ poster to her door, and she left.”

Eugene looked pointedly at Cassandra. “I’ll fight them. The only person allowed to mess with you is me. Well, obviously she’s still here and there’s more to the story, so continue.”

“Okay. I grabbed Max and chased her down and...she still wanted to leave, and she wouldn’t listen to me. I was so upset, I couldn’t lose her again, Eugene, you know it would have broken me. She told me to give her one good reason to stay and so, I did. I kissed her. I told her that I’m in love with her. Because I am.” 

“So where does that leave me, Sunshine? Are you...breaking up with me, or something?” 

Rapunzel laughed. “Oh, God no! Don’t be ridiculous. I love you, didn’t I just tell you that? I was kind of hoping that you’d be alright with...well, with me being with both of you.”

“Married to me and dating the demon lady?”

“Errr...if that’s okay with you?”

Eugene paused, glancing back and forth between Rapunzel and Cassandra.

“Do I get to date the demon lady too?”

Suddenly, Cassandra’s cheeks flushed red.

“Do you get to what, Fitzherbert?”

“Uh--kidding, kidding.” Eugene let out a nervous chuckle. “No, totally kidding. I made you blush, though.” 

“Shut up. No you didn’t.” 

“Well, that was interesting,” Rapunzel interjected, a smile spreading over her face. “Eugene, is that a…?”

“Yes. It’s a yes. I don’t care, I just thought that you were breaking up with me or something. That, I would have cared about.”

“You really don’t mind, Eugene?” Rapunzel brushed a lock of brown hair out of his face. “Or are you just saying that?”

“Honestly, looking back on it, I should have seen the signs. I mean, like I said, Cass--your crush was obvious. And honestly, Sunshine?” Eugene let out a hearty laugh. “Yours was too. I was just ignorant to it, because we’re together. But, no, yeah. I don’t really care. It doesn’t surprise me that my feisty, free spirited princess doesn’t want to be chained down to just me. No biggie.” 

“Well then, it’s settled. Thank you, Eugene,” Rapunzel smiled, leaning her head up against his shoulder.

“Now, Fitzherbert,” Cass chided, “you can’t tell anyone. Got it?”

“Oh, you know I’m the best at keeping secrets,” Eugene grinned. “I got this.”

“You’re…really not,” Rapunzel interjected softly, “but you try, and that’s what counts! Right, Cass?”

“Um, no. Not exactly. What counts is us not being found out, and my ass not being banished from Corona, or sent to a nunnery, or some other crazy shit. Not everyone is as...accepting as we are, Raps.”

“Okay, okay. Touche.” Eugene rolled his eyes dramatically. “I’ll keep my mouth shut. But, I mean, we’re at least telling Lance and Varian, right? None of us will be able to keep secrets from those two.”

“Raps, what did I tell you?” Cassandra shook her head and smiled. “I don’t care if they know, as long as they don’t come to hate us.”

“I don’t mind, either, Eugene,” Rapunzel affirmed. “You might be the one to tell them, though, or Cass, because I still get...uh, flustered over these types of things. You know the boys and their...questions. Well, specifically Lance.” 

“Oh God,” Cass laughed, “I don’t even want to begin to imagine what that means.”

“No,” Rapunzel shook her head solemnly. “Trust me, you don’t.” 

“Listen, Lance is, errr…” Eugene paused, looking for the right words. “Well, when he’s not around the girls, a free spirit...and not exactly in your fashion, Sunshine. Anyway, I doubt those two will have any sort of problem with it, except maybe Varian cause, you know.” He glanced at Cassandra, eyes full of concern. “I mean, you do know, right? I don’t think even you are that emotionally out of tune.”

“Oh.” Cassandra laughed. “Yeah, I know. It’s cute, don’t get me wrong, but he’s a kid. He was 14 when I met him, that’d just be, uh, a tad weird to me. It’s weird that he’s even an adult now. Besides, I’m more inclined towards women, although some men are, mmm, okay enough.” 

“Okay enough?” Eugene shook his head and clicked his tongue. “Cassandra, you are dating the wife of the most handsome man in the world! Okay enough? I’m telling you, kid, you need to get your head checked!”

“I maintain,” Cassandra grinned, “okay enough.”

“Sure. Anyway, he’ll get over it. He values all of us, especially you, Cass, as friends too much to say anything about it.” Eugene shrugged, stretching his legs out, and yawning. Cass shot him a dirty glance, as he was intruding upon her personal space, and within a moment, he pulled his legs back apologetically.

“Plus,” Rapunzel reminded, “my family does kind of employ him.”

“That too,” Eugene chuckled. “Lance won’t care, though. Lance definitely will not care.”

“How can you be so sure, Fitzherbert?” Cassandra began to tap her hands together idly in her lap.

“Oh, let’s just say…uh.” A blush spread over Eugene’s face, something that was hard-pressed to come by. “I know he’s not just into the, uh, ladies.” 

“Oh?” Cassandra cocked an eyebrow. “And do you know that from personal experience, Fitzherbert?”

“Yes. I mean, no! Well--depending on what you mean?”

“Oh, you know what I mean.”

“Honey,” Rapunzel laughed, “were Lance and you ever…?”

“A thing?” Cassandra completed. 

“No! I don’t know why you would think that.” Eugene brushed a long hair from his face nervously. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“Right. And that’s why you’re blushing like you’re sunburned, and obviously extremely nervous.”

“Uhh...I’m not nervous.” Eugene paused, met with judging stares from both Cassandra and Rapunzel. “Oh--okay, fine! Yes. When we were much younger, for a couple of months. Don’t tell him I told you, we’ve both agreed...not to talk about it.” Eugene shuddered. “He’ll kill me. It’s not like that anymore obviously, he's like my brother, but once upon a time...yes. There, are you happy?”

“Very! Now I know a secret of yours. I mean, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually kind of trust you to not let the news about me and Raps go any further than Lance and Varian. But, on the off chance that it does,” Cassandra grinned, “leverage. It’s all about the leverage.”

“Oh, fuck you,” Eugene laughed. “You’re the worst, Cass.”

“Am I?” Cass batted her eyelashes innocently. “I don’t think you really think that, Fitzherbert, especially given your little comment earlier.”

“Shut up.”

“Okay, everyone,” Rapunzel interjected, “I think we have all...learned a lot about each other today.” She shot a sideways glance at Eugene. “I mean, seriously, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me I was letting your ex-boyfriend live in the castle all those years ago, and on a roadtrip with us. I mean, I wouldn’t have cared, but one would think--”

“You would have cared. And, to be fair, ‘ex-boyfriend’ are not the words that I would use.” Eugene paused. “'Ex-lover', maybe? No. That sounds weird. Okay, so, no, yeah, those are exactly the words that I would use. Sorry, Sunshine.” Eugene flashed a bright smile in her direction. 

“Oh, I can’t stay mad at that smile.” Rapunzel leaned over and kissed Eugene on the cheek. “I never would have thought, though.”

“Seriously?” Cassandra chuckled. “I would have. He’s too much of a pretty boy to be into just girls, Raps. I guess love really does make you blind, huh, you two?”

“Err, yeah,” Eugene shook his head playfully, and batted his eyelashes. “So you think I’m pretty?”

“That’s not what I said, Fitzherbert. I called you a pretty boy. It’s not exactly a compliment.”

“Well, I’ll take it as one.” Eugene winked teasingly. “But seriously...I was not expecting tonight to, uh, go the way it has. I’m glad that you two told me, though, and the same day--rather than sneaking behind my back. It means a lot, really.” 

“Of course,” Cassandra smiled. “Thank you for being so understanding, Eugene.”

“I just want you two to be happy,” Eugene shrugged. “That’s all I care about. I mean, you two, Lance, Varian, and the girls...you’re all some of the most important people in my life. You’re my family, and as I’m sure we can all understand, that means a lot to someone who never really had much of one, growing up. I also can’t say I blame either of you, honestly.” 

“Of course you can’t,” Cassandra teased, “we’re the prettiest girls in the kingdom.”

“That’s for sure,” Eugene muttered under his breath. 

“Well then, everyone,” Rapunzel interjected, “this princess is getting sleepy.”

“This prince, too,” Eugene laughed.

“Got it, that’s my cue. I’m headed out. Goodnight, Raps, and goodnight, Eugene. Thanks for everything.” Cassandra stood up, grabbed the candle she and Rapunzel had lit their way with, and began to make her way towards the door.

“Goodnight, Cass,” Eugene called.

“Hold on, Cass,” Rapunzel chirped, springing up after her, “I’ll walk you. I’ll be back soon, Eugene.”

The pair made their way into the hallway, and when they were a decent bit from the bedroom, Rapunzel heaved a sigh of relief.

“Thanks for taking over for me in there, Cass,” Rapunzel smiled. “I froze up. I don’t know what happened.”

“Oh. It’s no problem.” Cassandra paused. “It makes sense that you were nervous, Raps, but...I think that went well. We all...learned a lot about each other.”

“Yeah, that’s for sure.” Rapunzel let out a light laugh. “That man will be getting one heck of an earful tonight. I can’t believe he never told me!”

“Go easy on him, Raps.” Cassandra shot her a sideways glance. “Talking about that kind of stuff is hard, you know that. Not everyone is so accepting and carefree. Plus...you’re a bit of a jealous girlfriend.”

“Oh, am not!”

“Are you sure? Do I need to bring up…?”

“No,” Rapunzel replied sternly, “you do not need to bring her up. Besides, we’re cool now. Totally cool.”

“Sure.” Cassandra laughed, wrapping her free arm around Rapunzel’s waist. “Now you’re my jealous girlfriend too, though.” 

“Maybe you’re right, because if anyone else tries to come near either of you, I will knock them out with a frying pan.” She paused. “Lance and Varian included.”

“You don’t have to worry about that with me, Raps, or Eugene either. I mean, we both have the prettiest girl in the whole kingdom now, so I think we’re pretty damn satisfied.” 

By the time Cassandra looked up--her feet carried her effortlessly through the halls of the castle--they were nearly at her chamber door.

“Is this where you leave me, Raps?” 

“Let’s go in for a moment.”

“Fine by me.” 

Cassandra led the way and opened the door, Rapunzel tagging along behind her. Cassandra moved around the room, using the candle in her hand to light the other candles that were strewn about. When she was finished, she placed the candle she’d been holding down, sat on her bed, stretched out her arms, and gestured for Rapunzel to sit beside her. Rapunzel obliged, and Cassandra wrapped her arm around the princess, pulling her in tight.

“Raps?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for today.” Cassandra paused. “I would have been so, so miserable if I’d left again.”

“I know you would have. I would have too.”

Gently, Cassandra leaned over and placed a kiss on Rapunzel’s forehead.

“I still don’t feel like I deserve any of this,” she sighed. “On top of that, I still don’t know what I’m going to do with myself. I don’t know where I fit in here anymore. I’m sick and tired of being a servant, so lady-in-waiting is out of the question, and...the people don’t trust me to guard them, so…” 

“You deserve all of this, Cass. You deserve the world. You’ll figure out what you’re meant to do." Rapunzel paused. "Hey, are you any good at office work?”

“What?” Cassandra shrugged. “I don’t know. I’ve never done it before, really. Why?”

“Oh, I don’t know. I mean, Eugene hates all of the paperwork that being Captain entails, but he loves being out in the field. Maybe we could create a position for you? Like, ‘Advisor to the Captain’ or something. I mean, you certainly know enough about the position to help him out, right? Paperwork isn’t the most fun, but it could also be advising him strategically and whatnot, sort of...behind the scenes, until you’re comfortable with being a guard. Honestly, if you wanted to take a break from working for a few months, that’d be fine with me--but I know you don’t want to.”

“Huh. You know me so well, Raps, there is absolutely no way in hell I’m freeloading. But that idea actually sounds...fucking awesome. Would you really do that for me?”

Rapunzel laughed, perked her head up, and planted a kiss on Cass’ lips.

“I’d do anything for you.”

Cassandra felt a blush and a wide smile spreading over her face. Every time Rapunzel kissed her, it occurred to her how insanely lucky she was.

“Well, okay, if you want to…”

“It’s settled, then! I’ll talk to my parents and Eugene about it tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Raps.” Cassandra pulled the other woman in closer, and Rapunzel wrapped her arms around Cassandra’s waist.

“No need to thank me, Cass. I should probably get going, though.”

“Stay here with me,” Cassandra teased.

“I want to.”

“Just a little longer? I won’t keep you too long. I know Eugene is waiting for you.”

“Oh, fine,” Rapunzel laughed. “Just a little longer.”

The pair sat for a few moments in a tight embrace--Cassandra holding an arm around Rapunzel, and Rapunzel clinging to Cassandra in turn. Cassandra lifted her free hand to stroke the princess’ short-cropped brown hair, and her stomach twisted and turned with butterflies.

Cassandra had thought their night together was the best day of her life, but now...Rapunzel was hers. Rapunzel was actually hers. She could kiss her. She could hug her, and tell her that she loved her, and know that when it was said in return, Rapunzel meant it in the same way that she did. 

Cassandra paid close attention to Rapunzel’s heartbeat against her own. 

Their hearts seemed to beat in time.

“Okay, Cass,” Rapunzel interrupted the silence, removing her arms from Cassandra’s waist, and standing up. “I really don’t want to, but…”

“I know, I know. You have to go.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” Rapunzel stooped down and picked up the candle nearest to Cassandra’s bedside.

“Is that a promise?” 

“Of course.” Rapunzel smiled, and leaned in for one last kiss. “I’ll tell you what my parents and Eugene think of my idea. If all goes well, you can probably start tomorrow, or the next day.”

“Thank you, Raps.” Cassandra paused, gazing at Rapunzel’s soft, beautiful face in the mix of moon and candlelight. “Hey. I love you.”

“I love you too, Cass. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Cassandra watched fondly as Rapunzel made her way over to the door, threw one last wave over her shoulder, and shut the door behind her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I did that.......I don't actively ship Lance and Eugene in the context of the show/after the show but there are 10000000% gay vibes there so I decided to ~pepper in a little more gay~. I hope y'all didn't mind lol. 
> 
> Anywho, I hope y'all enjoyed, much love <3


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